SupermanWonderwoman: It Could've Happened
by DarkRaikoh
Summary: Let's push comic continuity aside Superman and Wonderwoman have barely scratched the surface of their super exploits. After a chance meeting, they can find a likeness in eachother. What shall follow remains to be seen...
1. Chapter 1

**Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could Have Happened**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Superman, Wonderwoman or any other DC related characters mentioned in this fan fiction.**

_Author's Note: Well, it has been a LONG time since I have been on this website filled with its wonderfully talented writers (Not to mention any past work I HAVE done I quickly deleted…), but I thought I'd try getting back into the habit. Reading message boards, I find that A LOT of fans want to consider the idea of a Superman and Wonderwoman pairing. Well… this first chapter is more of a short opening into a story I can hopefully find the mind set to continue. Anyway, if there is anyone that could review this work I would be MOST appreciated and perhaps be given the will to write on! I hope you enjoy!_

_-DarkRaikoh_

She looked like a goddess… that's what the press thought when she walked to the podium, her creamy skin reflecting the beams of light that danced around her, creating a gorgeous pattern of solar glitter. Her long, raven black hair wavered with her stern step, a graceful flow to itself. She might as well have been a goddess if her back-story was true. She was known to the wide public as Princess Diana, Ambassador of Themyscira, an island nation off the coast of Greece, located somewhere within the Aegean Sea. To the wider public, she was Wonderwoman, Amazon warrior and super heroine, a beacon for truth and justice. Though whether she was a respected diplomat for an ancient civilization, or a powerful ally that could punch through fortress walls did not matter at this press conference, her sheer appearance alone let her stand out from the average suit wearing, bald government officials. Diana was a picture of loveliness adorned with a silk white and gold toga, her appearance simply demanded attention; this would justifiably explain the hundreds of flashing cameras and jabbering among the journalists as she reached the podium, slender fingers curling over the stand edges. A pair of full-red lips let out a strong voice, one that demanded order and attentiveness.

"I am shocked by the sheer size of the press here today, but my shock is undoubtedly met with a feeling of happiness," Her tone lightened, but she did not smile, a woman of business, "It has just been recently that the Amazonian nation of Themyscira has been recognized as a member of the U.N. As Ambassador, I arrange this meeting to explain our views as to the corrections that should be made to Man's world…" Wonderwoman pardoned and collected herself for a moment; she was falling back on Amazonian prejudice, the idea that anything outside of their island was "Man's world."

"Forgive me, I am new to your world and have already proven that I have much to learn still." Her sheer charisma turned this statement into a laugh line; that got the crowd immediately warm to her, "So, let us begin this conference with any questions you most surely have." There had to have been at least 60 hands that were thrown up, note pads in the other hands. She pointed to a random hand in the crowd to a darker skinned man.

"Russell Mandrake, Metropolis Star, Princess, the Amazonian nation has secluded itself from the rest of the world for… let's use the ball park… centuries. Why open yourselves up now?" A good few of the hands lowered when he finished the question.

"That is a very good question Mr. Mandrake, one that I would gladly answer on behalf of my sisters. Though we on Themyscira are readily trained in the art of combat and war, we have maintained an environment of peace for those centuries you estimate. We also had forgotten one truth, and that is the gods of Olympus shine down upon the entire Earth, we are all here together whether we like it or hate it. Our Queen Hippolyta suspected that though not today, nor maybe years from now, one day there may be confrontation. We Amazonians would like to spread our ideas of peace and order in the darkest parts of the world where crime and darkness corrupt. That is where I as acting Ambassador come in. I am a messenger of the Amazonian ways, I strive for a positive outcome, no matter how long it will take me, no matter how much pressure is put down on me, I will prevail." The belief in her voice and sheer power of her speech was deserving of roaring applause, and that is what she received. The floor was reopened for question, meanwhile in the crowds of journalists; a certain pair was having what came to be a daily dispute.

"Can you believe this? Let's forget the groundbreaking work of Nellie McClung and Margaret Thatcher, nowadays so long as you have a nice pair of breasts and a smooth as syrup voice, you can be successful in politics." Lois Lane, an ace reporter for the great metropolitan newspaper the "Daily Planet". She had an impressive set of looks on herself, an inquiring mind, a stubbornness to never give up, a hot head, and a mouth that couldn't hurt to keep quiet every so often. Irritated, she brushed the dark strands of hair away from her face and scribbled notes down at lightning speed on her note pad.

"She's got a way with public-speaking, and a good message. You should give her that, Lois." And always no more than three feet beside her, Clark Kent, much more mild-mannered a reporter, but proved himself to be just as capable as her at nabbing a good story. The both of them had Pulitzer potential and it made them a sure-fire crack team… from a professional standpoint anyway…

"And just leave it to a man to defend her, way to support the stereotype of the drooling schoolboy. Nice one Smallville; thought you were just a little bit above the average." Her sarcasm was very heavy in her tone. Lois had never, and Clark imagined would probably never EVER admit that she respected him as a partner. Clark didn't always put on the most impressive outward appearance, though he dressed nicely on the job and kept his hair always neatly combed to the side, he had a hunching posture much of the time and a thick pair of glasses that were probably as strong as telescopes. He shuffled a lot when he walked and didn't speak out much all the time. She often wondered how a man looking and acting the way he did could write so skillfully, it was almost as if he was trying to not be noticed.

"My, my Lois, are we getting just a teensy bit jealous?" A sly grin slowly crept on his face as he saw her head slowly turn to him.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Come on, the Princess is a role model to all woman. She comes to us open-armed, bringing a message of peace and an end to injustice. She's strong both internally and externally, and the people love her."

"But just LOOK at her, Smallville! The "Princess" is an unrealistic role model and bad influence on woman; she's so gorgeous it's practically inhuman! That's EXACTLY what we need, a thin supermodel that flies around, showing her goods. Have you even SEEN her costume? Yeah, "I am woman, hear me roar", right."

"Oh… I see." Clark felt he had finally pushed the blinds aside and caught the light of revealing full on."

"What?"

"The jealousy angle, it all makes sense now. I mean, how long is it going to take before our Wonderwoman happens to be sailing over some clouds, and cross paths with a certain Man of Steel that we know and love, you especially. And what's somebody like him going to want with a normal, human reporter woman when he's got a mighty princess like Diana?" The sight of her ears turning a light shade of pink was sign enough that Clark had gotten to her, mission accomplished.

"I have NO idea what you're talking about. I can talk to Perry and get you on the gossip column with Cat Grant if you'd like, otherwise, stay on task!" As she turned back around he could hear her mumble under her breath. _ "Superman falls for Wonder bimbo… now THAT'S a headline for ya'."_

"Yes, you?" The Princess directed her attention towards Clark's raised hand, and he had to admit his heart sped up just a little bit.

"Clark Kent, Daily Planet, afternoon Princess. Have you set for yourself realistic goals? While I do not doubt your obvious power and determination, are you looking for all the muscle you can get? Or is this a solo mission for you alone?"

"Well, if I may call you Clark," He was QUITE alright with that, "That's quite a mouthful of a question. I will gladly accept a helping hand if the heart is in the right place, and the person generously offering does not put them self in any significant danger. I will say, that this Superman figure that helps everybody intrigues me, there is an example of one I would be most happy to have join me." Clark thought he could hear the grinding of Lois' teeth together.

"You asked that question on purpose for that answer…" She said scathingly, he smiled.

_"Target is in sight. I've got a clear shot." _A gruff voice resonated in Clark's ear and became alert immediately. Everyone was so focused on the Princess that they did not notice the reporter with the thick glasses moving his head around frantically as if he had heard an explosion. He wasn't sure where the voice could be coming from, the press conference was being held near to Diana's homeland. Though mankind could not actually step foot upon Themyscira, the conference fit well just off a rocky coast of Greece. A fancy stage was set up with nations flags draping above, so it worked out perfectly. But because of the location, they were practically surrounded all by ocean… So whomever Clark was hearing must have been…

_"Up on the cliffs!" _Turning his head 60 degrees to the left, he could see a brown, jagged rocky cliff about 400 yards away from the conference.

_"CLICK" _The cock of a powerful gun in his hear only solidified his suspicion, but he was the only one that could hear it. Following the path of the sound, he concentrated his eyes on the far off cliff edges. Suddenly, the view rushed closer to him in his peripheral vision and he could see a trench coated man with dark sunglasses and a thick brown moustache just behind a rock. Propped on the jagged top was a long sniper rifle, and judging by its aim and angle… he had a good idea of the target. Clark was packed into the crowd like a sardine, it was much to risky and time consuming to try and change into his… "other suit", and to do something as simple as melt the scope from where he was standing was just plain reckless, ESPECIALLY with reporters around. So he did as he always did in a tough decision crisis, play the bumbling reporter act. The mans hands were at the trigger already, he would fire soon. Clark took a step sideways, he could hear the man's finger twitching over the thing that would make it go bang. One fake of a side step and Clark feigned tripping over his own two feet, following into a big crowd. As he did so, he took in a deep breath.

"PRINCESS DIANA! LOOK OUT TO YOUR RIGHT!" His voice had carried with a powerful boom and as Diana turned her head in the alerted direction, he heard the gunfire. With liquid speed, the Amazonian Princess threw a forearm up; a silver gauntlet around it intercepted the armour-piercing bullet and sent it ricocheting harmlessly into the wooden plank floor. Pandemonium ensued immediately as reporters went shouting and screaming in all directions.

"HEY SMALLVILLE! SMALLVILLE?! CLARK?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Lois' worried voice filled his hearing.

_"I've been spotted! Go to plan B!" _What was obviously the sniper's voice was what Clark heard next, followed by the sound of… a roaring engine?"

_"Oh great. Sorry Lois. I've got a job to do." _Everyone was so busy pushing, running, and panicking, they didn't notice that very same mild-mannered reporter disappearing into a blur.

"Please! Please, everybody calm down!" Diana threw her arms up in the air to try and grab their attention; panic would only make the situation harder to deal with. But things had already gotten worse. This wasn't just some shoddy assassination attempt upon her, she realized. She had heard a sound reminiscent of a Harpy crying and she only had to look to the sky. Just above the puffy white cumulus clouds were four, black metallic flying machines of death; man's world called them jet fighters.

"Oh great." Diana clutched the material of her toga with both hands, and with one tug it ripped right off of her. Underneath lay the outfit she adorned when in the aid of someone. On her head she placed a golden tiara with a single red star in the center, an Amazonian symbol. Her body was not completely covered, simply wearing what looked like a red and gold bustier along with short blue with white starred tight pants. A pair of deep red boots and her indestructible fore arm gauntlets made her an object both to be adored, and taken seriously; she was Wonderwoman now. She turned to the dozen some odd guard officers on the scene.

"Try and bring order to these people, somebody is going to get hurt!"

"But Ambassador! What about the jets?!" One of the guards called out to her. She looked at the flying contraptions with a more intense glare, as if they were treacherous dragons she had to slay.

"Let me handle the jets." Bracing her legs, she launched herself into the sky and took off like a rocket. The wicked flight crafts knew she was approaching, for the moment she was a mile above the ocean, they all spiraled off on their own paths. They would try to ambush her no doubt. Wonderwoman hated technology with a passion. These things screeched like a dying animal, while their fuel supplies did nothing but harm the environment. They had wings that were as sharp as swords, and it looked like they had the ability to not only travel through the air quickly, but also maneuver expertly and even hover on the spot if need be; their crude and blade-like wings with mounted guns threatening her.

"YOU MUST DESIST! THERE ARE INNOCENT PEOPLE BELOW!" They either could not hear her or chose not to pay attention. She had come to expect someone would make an attempt on her life, she was now a bold-speaking member of politics; this was not uncommon in the dark spirits of man. One of the flyers had gotten bold, cutting in on a turn and flying straight towards her, this was a costly mistake. Guns placed on the front nose of the jet opened with rapid machine gun fire. Yes, the jet was fast, but not nearly as fast as Wonderwoman. Her arms moved in a barrage of speed. The rounds of bullets made significant _pings _off of her gauntlets as she seemed to deflect each one that was actually heading towards her. The plain stopped firing and was now very close. She could see the man inside, now intimidated by her, combined with the fright that he may hit her head on. He made as fast a veer left as he could to avoid her.

"No! You're not getting away that easily!" She flew towards the veering jet and punched clear through its right wing, tearing it off effortlessly. The jet spun out of control and the pilot burst from the cockpit in his ejection seat. Before he had a chance to rip open his parachute, Wonderwoman darted forwards and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt.

"Believe me, you have A LOT of explaining to do, my friend." Her grip tightened and her gorgeous face scowled, the man shaking within her grasp.

"Pl-please! I have a wife and kids!" His voice was accented, but exactly what dialect she was unaware. The sound of metal cutting through air was heard and Wonderwoman turned to find two of the remaining jets soaring right towards them, spraying bullets. She was in complete disbelief, they would willingly open fire upon her while one of their own men would easily get hit in the process.

"Where is the honour in this world?!" Wonderwoman flew upwards, avoiding the fire. She was clutching the man in her left arm; she wasn't sure how well she could block four machine gun barrels with just one free hand. If she tried to bring him down upon land, they would attack her near the people, and if she activated his parachute now, his descent would be too slow, he'd definitely get caught in the cross fire. The third massive jet was now corkscrewing down from above her, giving her a very short time to react. It opened fire… only to be stopped by something that had flown in between it and Wonderwoman with her hostage. The object was a person, from behind; she could see a flowing red cape over a man with broad shoulders and nicely combed hair. His arms were thrown out spread eagle, completely shielding her from the fire… while the bullets bounced off of him harmlessly. It was amazing already that this flying man had seemingly come out of nowhere, and it was amazing how he shrugged off machine gun fire like nothing, but it was especially amazing when the pilot tried to swerve away, and the flying man grasped the nose with two strong hands, holding him in place. Twin beams of red shot from his eyes and traced the perimeter of the cockpit escape… melting it shut so the pilot couldn't eject. And when this mysterious man spoke, his voice was commanding, powerful, a leader.

"I've disabled your engines with my heat vision already, you're a sitting duck… so to speak." He shifted the jet so that he was holding it up by the bottom with one hand, hovering, and turning around to face Wonderwoman. The man's appearance was simply breathtaking, extremely muscular, a proud and protruding chest. He was dressed almost head to toe in blue, skin tight adornments, with the exception of red boots and briefs with a yellow belt that mixed surprisingly well. However, most recognizable of all was what appeared to be almost a crest borne on his chest, a pentagram shield with a yellow background and a giant red "S" taking up most of it. His cape flapped majestically against the open sky. He smiled, showing a perfect set of white teeth.

"Howdy, folks around here call me Superman."


	2. Chapter 2

**Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could Have Happened**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any DC related characters that may appear in this fanfiction.**

_Author's notes: Hey everyone… Most have undoubtedly forgotten about this story because I wrote this first chapter MANY months ago. __Of course… things such as school and other creative writings got in the way and… I just kind of put this on the back burner. I'd like to make an attempt to get this story going again… So I hope that more people will give it a chance and especially review it… Thanks to all who gave positive reviews on the first chapter and I'm hoping any who read this will enjoy this next installment as well. The plot will begin to take SOME form and thus comes a slightly different take on an old DC character near the very end. Anyway… have a read and tell me what you think!_

_-DarkRaikoh_

Superman: the Man of Steel, the Big Blue Boy Scout, the Metropolis Marvel, yeah, Wonderwoman had done some reading up on him. Though in her defense, one did not have to go that far out of their way to read about him and his many glorious feats. Superman had been one of the first aptly named "superheroes" to show up on the scene, helping the helpless; asking for nothing in return but the betterment of society. Wonderwoman had to admit, seeing him in the flesh, holding a giant hunk of scrap metal casually above him let off quite the impressive pose. Diana actually had to think hard over what words she was to say to him… very few people had that kind of effect on her.

"It is with great pleasure that I-." The screws in the cockpit hatch began to fire out like bullets themselves. _PING! PING! PING! _Came the satisfying sound as the hatch completely tore off, the pilot was trying to eject.

"Oh no you don't!" Superman threw the jet so that he held it in his right arm, bringing his left tearing through the bottom of the fighter. His hand clutched onto the ejection seat, the miniature rocket beneath it shooting flames full on to his arm. The Man of Steel didn't even flinch, pulling the man through the bottom of the jet and holding him right before his eyes. She couldn't help herself, the Amazonian Princess was in awe, he made a great first impression.

"O-OH GOD! I'M SO SORRY!" Superman's hostage was still strapped into his ejection seat, a poor sight for him.

"You tried to assassinate a revolutionary superheroine, in the process putting hundreds of other innocent lives at risk; I would hope for your sake that you ARE sorry. Who issued the attack?" The man looked terrified, he couldn't get the words out of his quivering lips. Wonderwoman still had her own hostage, cowering in her mighty grasp; she looked at him intensely.

"You've put yourself in quite the awkward position. You can deal with me, or you can deal with HIM once he's done with your partner." The terrorist's face was pale, chalk white, beads of sweat slowly crawling down his forehead. _BUDDA! BUDDA! BUDDA! BUDDA! _The third jet came spiraling from above, firing full on at all four individuals hoping to get a good shot on either hero. Superman tossed the mangled jet away so that it would go falling harmlessly into the ocean below. Immediately after he flew overhead of Wonderwoman, directly in the line of fire.

"SUPER-!" Her glancing moment of fear was put to a halt, the bullets bounced off of Superman's back like harmless peashooters. When the jet saw that the Man of Steel wasn't moving, it veered right and took off in another direction.

"We need to secure these two!" Superman shouted aloud. Immediately Wonderwoman tossed up hers, he screamed as he free fell upwards. Superman threw out his free arm and caught him.

"Get those two restrained on solid ground, away from danger! I'll take care of the jet!" Wonderwoman seemingly ordered.

"But-!"

"It's coming back!" Superman looked at her carefully for a brief moment. He gave a nervous sigh.

"I'll be right back!" He shouted before shooting off with both of the former attackers.

_"It is by his habit, he thinks that I require protection," _Wonderwoman determined in her head, _"He'll soon see that is far from the case." _ The jetfighter had come back, racing towards her head on at top speed. Reaching at her side, she pulled out what appeared to be a long golden rope. The pilot was bewildered from his view in the cockpit. Now what in the hell was she going to do with that? Confuse him with Double Dutch maneuvers? He poured on the speed, closing the gap in seconds. He had become so close to her now, that the nose of the jet was practically poking her stomach… At this moment, Wonderwoman swerved to the side even faster than he moved. He wouldn't be able to turn and ram her with the wing, he was moving too fast; all he could do was fly straight. Wonderwoman wasn't finished though; the golden rope of hers had formed a noose at the top, which she spun gracefully over head. With a super fast flick of the wrist, the noose sailed up and around the nose of the jet, and tightening around it.

"You're under MY control now!" Wonderwoman grasped her end of the lasso and tugged hard. Her strength was too much for the metallic flight beast. It immediately gave in to the taught, unbreakable rope, arcing right and then losing its stability. The Amazon had just as quickly loosened the noose, leaving the fighter spiraling out of control and losing altitude; it too would fall safely into the ocean. The pilot ejected and as with the first two, she caught him with ease.

"I'm tired of playing games," She held him tightly by the throat, making him wheeze, "Who's behind all of this?" There was a struggle, but he managed to choke one word out.

"Fire." There was a hiss over a walkie-talkie on his shoulder.

"What did you just do?!" Wonderwoman brought him closer to her, her eyes ablaze. Screams rang from below, and she became nervous.

"LOOK! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Was one of the things she could hear make out from the inaudible cries. She turned around and could see nothing but vast ocean at first sight. Then she saw the gathering of foam no more than forty feet out. The frothing mass began to lift up above sea level, until finally it breached the surface. A giant streamlined torpedo, probably about the length of ten men went rocketing out of the water and into the air. It soared a good twenty feet above Wonderwoman, before arcing over and diving straight towards her. The rounded off metal front gleamed in the sunlight as it got closer. She instantly flew to the left of it, the entire metal mass of destruction passing right by her, the warmth of the back burner touching her side.

"Nice try, that thing will never hit me!" Wonderwoman reassured her captive. But he started to laugh, a nerving cackle.

"It is not aimed for you, Princess." She couldn't believe her stupidity, whipping around to see the torpedo heading straight towards the mass of people.

"NO! YOU'LL KILL THEM!"

"That is the idea." He sniggered. His entertainment was short lived, as she effortlessly tossed him away.

"Wha-? AAH!" Gravity took hold of him and he plummeted towards the ocean. Wonderwoman threw her arms out in front of her, going right after the rocket. She was faster, but had it gotten too close already? The smoking thruster mocked her as it was still just ahead of her. She willed herself to move faster, now traveling past it. She made it to about halfway near the rocket's front; but it only had another twenty feet to go before it would impact on its target, exploding into a fiery plume of death. It was down to the wire, Wonderwoman slowly getting closer.

_"COME ON! FASTER!" _She screamed within her brain. The torpedo missile stopped in its tracks no more than five feet away from the innocence, all of them covering their heads in fear. It was as if the Amazon had simply willed the missile to stop with her mind.

"What?" She quickly rushed herself down to the front end. Superman was there, his arms straight out, hands pressed against the front of the missile, pushing the metal inwards. He struggled to make a grin towards her.

"Don't worry, I've got your back." The rocket was still burning; he was the one thing keeping it from its goal. But Superman wasn't exactly the type to give in. Stretching his body out in line with the missile, he took off, flying in the opposite direction of its programmed path. Wonderwoman simply watched in awe as the man and the torpedo became miniscule dots in the sky. _KAAAABOOOOM! _Orange flowers of explosions decorated the sky and the masses screamed out in horror.

"SUPERMAN!" Wonderwoman flew higher in fear. Nothing could be seen but clouds of dark smoke. Just then, out of the smoke came a darting object that soared down, stopping just before her. The Man of Steel was perfectly intact, black soot marks peppering his blue suit.

"Giant explosion, been there, done that." He smiled and held out his hand, "We weren't formally introduced." Wonderwoman smiled at this man of vigour, and took his hand in hers for a firm handshake. What had once been gasps and screams became cheers of triumph from the people as the two heroes descended from the sky. The moment their feet touched solid ground they were mobbed by the reporters and blinded by a barrage of flashing cameras.

"SUPERMAN! What happened to all of the rogue pilots?" One of the reporters called out from the crowd.

"They have been apprehended and delivered to the nearest hospital, in case they were hurt. I shall see to it that they get the proper questioning."

"WONDERWOMAN! I thought you said you had never met Superman before?" A female reporter with frizzy red hair spoke up.

"I hadn't," She looked at Superman warmly, a grin on her face, "He just happened to drop in out of nowhere. I'm told he's notorious for doing this."

"I happened to be in the area; and am a big fan of Princess Diana's work." Lois began to force her way through the droves of rival reporters to squeeze to the front.

"Superman, you and Wonderwoman seem to make quite some team," He wasn't sure, but Superman could have sworn he saw Lois throw a quick scathing look at Diana, "Does this foreshadow future collaborations in your fight for justice?" He actually found himself surprisingly speechless to this question.

"Well I… This meeting was actually quite spontaneous and… I'm not sure-." Before his tongue could double knot itself, Wonderwoman took the floor.

"I think Superman and myself would like to actually sit down and have a chat with each other before we discuss anything like that Ms. Lane." As content as she could be with the answer, Lois turned to Superman, "How about a private interview, Superman? What's your take on the attempt on the Ambassador's life?" As she spoke the flashes continued firing off like an automatic weapon. Wonderwoman held a hand over her eyes to shield them.

"I'm sorry Lois, I'll have to get back you," Superman replied, turning to his newfound accomplice, "Paparazzi bothering you?" He posed the question to Wonderwoman. She turned to him with some curiosity.

"I'm not exactly used to this back at home." The two of them tried to drown the flooding of questions that came their way. Superman turned back to the audience of reporters.

"I'm sorry, I believe that means this public address has officially come to a close. The point remains that there was an assassination attempt on an Ambassador. I have made it my duty to help the Princess get to the bottom of this treachery." He grinned to Wonderwoman, "Come on; let's get out of here." The two of them took off into the air, leaving a rush of wind behind them that ruffled some coats. All the media could do was stare in awe as the pair of figures disappeared into the clouds.

"After that little incident, this may be the only place the two of us can talk in private." Superman hovered above a white puffy cloud, the sun shining down on him even stronger. Wonderwoman almost wanted to circle him, get a full grasp of this mysterious, yet well known man that had come from the sky. She couldn't come out with an answer, simply running a hand through her slightly blowing dark hair. He took note of this and spoke again.

"Oh, sorry about them down there. That's one thing you'll learn about us is that we crave the gift to know things. There won't be a single person on this Earth not wanting to know more about you." He scratched the back of his head in unease and could do nothing but smile. In a way, it was oddly comforting and she found it in herself to say something.

"Learn about "us"? Are you one of them? Are there others like you?" Superman realized the misinterpretation Wonderwoman had received from his words and quickly corrected her.

"Oh… no, no. I am not human; there are no others like me in the physical aspect. I guess I've just been living among these people so long I like to think I'm one of them; do you know what that is like?"

"I've always had my Amazon sisters to fall back upon. I have spent the majority of my life putting myself apart from humankind. I…" Wonderwoman paused for a moment, a look of uneasiness to her, "If my research into this society is correct, there are all kinds of technologies that can be used for espionage purposes. There are giant machines in the sky even that could monitor us right now. Are you so certain we have such a location for private conversation?" Superman gave her his often-used reassuring smile.

"Yes, this society is a most mistrustful one. But these eyes of mine can pick up the signals that such machines give off. Trust me, if we were being spied upon, I'd know." Wonderwoman seemed almost taken aback by this realization.

"Well, Superman, do you always impress this easily? Or have I not been in man's world long enough to see what's really amazing?" In all of his research, Clark had gotten the impression that the Amazon Princess was a hardened warrior, a straight to the point, never sugar-coating business-type whom wouldn't spend the time to compliment another. He would really have to make a note of it to double-check his sources. He made a gesture with his head to start following him as he casually floated in a random direction. In many ways, it was like the super-powered version of a walk through Centennial Park.

"Believe me, Princess, you'll find that there are plenty of individuals far more impressive than I. We have brilliant men and women who everyday come closer to devising a cure for cancer, cracking the human genome, solving the issue of world-hunger. Me? I'm just the brawn that keeps the bad people from harming the good people." The two soared over beautifully sculpted temples of old, cathedrals, amphitheaters, it was architecture at its finest. There was something about Wonderwoman, Superman found. It was the way that the light of the sun reflected off of her skin, a sort of sheen to it. It was as if her body itself was carved out of the very same marble that the temples were crafted from. He quickly shook this thought out of his head, wanting to question why it had tickled his brain in the first place.

"Well," The moment she began to speak, she dove downwards at a faster speed, spinning through the air like a graceful dove and looking back at him with a smile, "I guess it's reassuring to know an honest heart is beneath all of that muscle." The picturesque beauty then extended her slender arms straight out in front of her and shot off in a burst of air. It was becoming apparent that that warrior streak inside of her wanted to have a little competition, for entertainment's sake.

"So it's a race you want, huh?" Superman's mouth gave a small curve upwards; he folded his arms against his body and took off right after her.

Time had passed as it always did. The afternoon had become late afternoon/early evening, and the sun was beginning its venture behind the mountainous horizon. Two beings of immense power had streaked across the slowly becoming dusky sky, before halting right in the middle of a clear patch.

"Time's kind of passed, hasn't it?" Superman spoke with almost a touch of embarrassment; it would not be hard to believe that a man such as him would have many tasks to do in a day. How much time had been wasted simply flying around with the Amazon?

"Time tends not to show mercy to any mortals…"

"It was a fine afternoon," He replied, "It was nice to be just casually flying for once. When you're speeding to so many disasters, you kind of don't have the time to stop and enjoy the sensation." His words were deep for a being that lived in man's world, showcasing further potential for the people, if there were any marginally as kind as him.

"For me it seems that I've spent my first week here in crammed oval offices, filling out papers and addressing large audiences. Our little crisis today reminded me of the more important duties I have still to fulfill." Superman turned to look upon her fully.

"Don't say that, Princess. Certainly there are different methods to good deeds, but you cannot necessarily scale one over another. After all, you are attempting to stretch words of peace across the world, and you are doing this without raising a single fist. I would deem that of the highest importance." She smiled at him, one of those Tic-Tac commercial smiles, not that she'd have any idea what a Tic-Tac was.

"Please, I grew tired of the title on Themyscira. You can drop the formalities, it is Diana that you may refer to me as." He was taken aback slightly, a man of such chivalry must have been confused referring to nobility as his equal. He obliged nevertheless however.

"Um… alright. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Diana. However I really must do the follow-up on our terrorist friends while they're confined to the hospital." He held out his hand to her. She took it in hers, a strong handshake from the both of them.

"The pleasure has been all mine Super-… Rather strange to call you that when you know my real name. Is there anything else I may call you by-." Though their hands remain linked, Superman suddenly became slightly detached from her. His head turned in the direction behind him, staring off into a seeming calm red sky.

"Superman?" She pulled him back to the present time, him quickly regaining his composure and adopting a serious expression on his face.

"Capsized tanker in the Mediterranean, no one is responding to their distress call. I really have to…"

"Go." Their fingers parted and she gave him a reassuring nod, "Truly, you must be one of the busiest men on this Earth." He grinned at her.

"It's a living." And with the slightest wave goodbye, he took off in a blue and red streak, disappearing into the distance almost instantly.

"Good…luck…?" Though he undoubtedly had the ability to hear her, she contemplated whether or not he was listening, rather paying his full attention to the people in distress. Furthermore, the fact that she could have provided him assistance, and the thought never crossing her mind simply threw her into a tussle of confusion.

_"Men, always running in machismo, self-assured that they do not require any help from a woman." _But Superman was not like the common man; that much she could stake a claim on. Besides the obvious difference of power… there was something… genuine about him.

_"Not even a month in man's world and you already have your thoughts clouded by one of them? Think straighter Diana, you are on an important mission, there is no time to get side-tracked." _She flew a ways westward, planning to call it all a night, but took one more spare moment to look off in the direction he had left.

"Probably won't get the chance to see him again anyway." There was a world full of men that she could meet and talk with, somewhere among the millions that had to be another Superman; or was there? Giving her head one final shake she shot off like a human-sized bullet and vanished to all mortal eyes.

The term "Greek Hospitality" was never coined in the first place because not such a thing ever existed. At least that was the point of view from Damon Theodore as he lay strapped down to a hospital bed. Every hour or so, the manly part of his personality would take over, his muscles would tense and he'd attempt to break free from his bonds. Though once the straps began to dig into his skin and draw blood, the thought became significantly weaker at each resistance. Then the nurses would come in, attempting to shovel down his throat the abysmal slop passing for food, and turn pale at the sight of the blood around his wrists. He would grin at them, his teeth crooked and a golden-brown, his eyes like an animal's. Deep within him he could feel nothing but hatred and failure however.

_"Shooting fish in a barrel as the expression goes. Countless handfuls of government delegates and innocent lives all there to be sacrificed for the just cause…" _Strangely enough, Damon had no idea what exactly the "just cause" really was. But he was motivated, in mind, body and spirit to perform the actions that he did, just as his brothers were. He was not sure where they were exactly, probably kept in separate rooms to prevent any conspiracies and attempt to weaken them. The authority should have simply eliminated the middleman and transported Damon and his brothers to prison, being in this hospital was futile. None of them had been through any extreme physical trauma, the Superman and Amazon Princess had been rather delicate in their body handling. Though the terrorist assumed that they would be interrogated soon, prodded to confess their motives, reasons, and maybe even finger anyone else that is involved in the operations. The police would get nothing, for Damon knew absolutely nothing. He knew not his brothers, only the fact that they WERE his brothers. He knew not why he hi-jacked the war plane, he knew not why he attacked the Ambassador of Themyscira and he knew not why he hated all those standing in his way so much. What he knew was that he was doing everything instructed, and that he was being watched over. Yes, whenever Damon thought too much into the actions he was performing, a pulsing red symbol appeared before him. It was alive, staring down upon him menacingly, it's glare tearing right through him, reassuring he was doing right, and asserting its authority over his worthless mortal life.

_"I am safe when the Spear watches over me." _Damon was absolutely alone in his room, but he still chose not to vocalize his more private thoughts, _"I and all my brothers are guarded by the Spear."_

_Uuuuuuurk _the rusted hinges on his door made an awkward whine as they were gently pushed open. Damon swiveled his eyes rather than turning his entire head to look, figuring it to be another nurse or orderly. But he was mistaken, for it was a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman that came through the door. Gentleman was really the best word to describe this man Damon had never met before. He couldn't have been a doctor; instead of a lab coat he sported the finest in silk suits, probably Armani or some big brand thing that Damon didn't have a clue about. He wore a fedora over his head that was angled in such a way so as to cast a shadow over the majority of his face. All he could really make out was an impressively square jaw and bleached white smile, not a single fault anywhere in those features.

"Greetings Damon." His voice was sharp and crisp, maybe a slight accent to it, it was the kind of voice that belonged to a man with millions in his pocket.

"How do you know me?" For the first time, Damon spoke; his voice had a gravelly sound to it. The man gave a light chuckle of amusement.

"Why Damon, we are of the same brotherhood. I am no stranger, but rather a friend." He eyed this nicely dressed man suspiciously from hat to fine black shoes. His hands were folded one over the other in front of him, completely relaxed, non-aggressive in nature.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about." He turned himself away as best he could despite the bonds on his wrist.

"Why surely you know I'm speaking on behalf of the Spear, Damon." The word sparked all the trust needed inside of Damon. For the Spear if anything was secret, only a brother could truly know of its existence; that much was certain. He turned excitedly, for this man before him was obviously his savior. His peril was recognized and this emissary was to set at least him free to further serve the symbol.

"I had nearly lost hope! Hurry, unbind me before one of the nurses returns!" He pulled at the bonds again, showing how he could not move free. Though he could not see the man's eyes, he knew that they were staring him down completely, analyzing him. Rather than coming to Damon's aide, the dressed man actually chuckled once more.

"Oh, poor ignorant Damon. When did I ever allude to the idea that I was going to set you free?" Each word hit him like a bullet, his eyes widening and his bowel movements feeling like they were ready to be set free.

"B-but you are my brother-AUCK!" The gentleman's hand flew up faster than Damon's eye could follow. There was simply a blur of motion, and then a steel grip wrapped around his throat, constricting it. The man's concealed face inched closer to his. His breath was abnormally warm; it felt almost as though there was actual fire erupting from his lips.

"I am not your brother. Do not even consider placing me on the equal plain of such an incompetent child of a man." The grip closed even tighter and Damon's eyes seemingly bulged out a little.

"W-w-why are you doing this?" The words came out in a choked wheeze.

"Because you failed Damon, you and those who assisted you. Your task was so unbelievably simple. You were to cause mayhem, chaos, kill Princess Diana and any other casualties you saw fit. And what happened? You were detained by the very same person you were ordered to kill." Upon the word, "kill", Damon had lost vision in his left eye, his oxygen becoming increasingly sparse.

"I-it was not m-my fault! There was a-another! Another to help the Princess!"

"You think I am not aware of that?! I see it all! Your excuses mean nothing to me you pathetic waste of existence!" His words now came out with a hiss; he was losing the humanity to his voice.

"UNHAND ME!" Damon bellowed out, pushed past his limit, "I AM A SON OF THE SPEAR! YOU ATTACK ME WHILE I AM RESTRAINED YOU COWARD-AUUUUGGGGH!" His scream was almost blood curdling; his wrists erupting into such an excruciating sensation unlike he had ever felt before.

"Be careful the words you use against me, boy. I have control over all pain, as you may have already noticed…" Blood must have been oozing rivers out of his wrapped arms, his entire body writhed as thousands of invisible needles were driving into his skin and nerves, he could not control himself.

"W-who…" He tried to fight his words out between wails, "Who are you?" The pain suddenly stopped, the agonizing hell had ceased if only momentarily. Furthermore the grip around his throat had vanished and he was now taking in large helpings of air. The man remained though, casting a shadow seemingly over the entire room. He brought his mouth up to Damon's ears and spoke his last words.

"I am the Spear. And you are nothing but an empty shell now." The gentleman than drove his thumb into Damon's forehead, everything turned red as his inhuman wail echoed through every wing of the hospital. By the time the attending nurse had made her way to the source of the sound, her knees buckled and she collapsed into a faint. There had been no signs of anyone else ever being in the room besides the patient. Damon lay on his bed, pupils completely gone, and red blood oozing from the center of his forehead all down and around his entire body.

Thick walls of steel that reached ten feet underground, tanks situated on the outer walls and men armed to the teeth on the inner walls, the Greek Embassy was Wonder Woman's temporary residence so long as she was operating in man's world. Generally, there was a long and daunting authorization process for anyone attempting to enter the embassy, but such rules didn't really apply to an individual who could simply fly over the obstacles. Wonder Woman looked down, sighing at the extreme measures taken for her protection.

_"It really speaks highly of my peace campaign, to see these war machines I am surrounded by. I'm not trying to scare the people into peace…" _As disgusting as it was, this was how man operated, and forcing her ways upon them was not a good way to make first impressions in a political campaign. Towards the East Wing of the building she could see her window left open, the delicate white drapes blowing with the wind. Whether familiar with her or not, Diana was still royalty, and the Embassy did its best to meet her assumed tastes. She'd always said that it was not necessary, during battle she had slept in mud and grime, canopy beds and ice buckets of fine wines were ridiculous incentives. And if they were also trying to match the beauty of Themyscira, it really paled in comparison. She descended feet first towards the window, the darkened night changing into the shimmering lights from the gold chandelier in the center of the ceiling.

"Princess Diana! Glad to see that you've finally arrived!" Wonder Woman groaned internally but kept a warm expression planted on her face. Waiting in her room for Hera knows how long was Priscilla Rich. She basically acted as a sort of "campaign manager/publicist" for Diana, and furthermore was a one-woman army in that respect. She kept a clipboard busting with papers, a sea of letters running across all of them. Her blackberry scheduled a thousand things, Priscilla basically tackled everything necessary, and was a key part in making the Princess look as good as she did to the populace.

"Ah Priscilla, I'm sorry if I kept you waiting." Diana tried to apologize, but she was halted instantly.

"No apologies, Princess. You have a life of your own to live; my job is to stay on the sidelines until you can make the time. She grabbed a pen that had been planted in her hair and began to go through some notes on her clipboard. Priscilla was by all rights a gorgeous woman, but always hid that beauty under professional attire, for that Diana respected her. Her blonde hair was always cropped up in a bun, while a pair of thin circular glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. Her skin was of a fair complexion, while she was clearly both manicured and pedicured. Above all, her eyes had this rare jade tinge to them that saw into you. Unfortunately, these attractive features were rarely noticed when you stood behind someone like Princess Diana of Themyscira.

"Any word on the public reaction after that attack today?" Diana went to her dresser drawer, sitting on a red-cushioned chair and relaxing for a short moment. It seemed that Priscilla was over shoulder almost instantly.

"Are you kidding? They're eating you up, Princess!"

"Priscilla, we've been over this, call me Diana-."

"They love you! Especially the females, you are screaming women power! First off, the Q/A session was a gold mine; you answered everything beautifully. Suddenly out of nowhere come the jets and the missiles and you show them what you really feel about war! What went off today was this showing power and grace that dazzled the audience. And boy, when Superman showed up to help you, let's say that sure didn't affect the public view in a negative way!" At the mention of his name, Diana began to visualize the red cape soaring across the skies right in her mirror, majestic and free.

"By the way…" Priscilla's words forced the cape to transform back into Diana's own reflection. She turned around to face her publicist whom seemed to have the most aching question on her mind.

"About you two kind of taking off into the sky like that. Something…happen…?"

"What? No! No!" Were she not trained as a warrior with a hardened face, she may have very well blushed at that moment, Priscilla was certain.

"Superman and I just had a casual conversation, nearly a debate of opinion you could say. I hardly learned anything about him." Diana seemed to randomly grab a comb and start to run it through her already smoothened hair.

"Nice guy?" Priscilla chewed on the end of her pen, as she often did when probing people.

"Upon first impression at least," she had another thought, "Priscilla, there isn't going to be something about Superman and I in these tabloids that your countries have, is there?" Priscilla's smile flat-lined.

"Oh, no! Not at all! At least as far as I've been able to prevent." Diana had complete faith in her.

"Good," She turned back to the mirror, "Last thing I need is some false allegations of myself and a man to deter away from my mission." She proclaimed.

"Well…" Diana cocked an eyebrow as Priscilla began what seemed to be a rationalization, "What you have to learn about our society is that people LOVE celebrity couples. And realistically… you and Big Blue are BOTH pillars of justice and hope and what not… If anything I would think that it would help-."

"Out of the question, Priscilla." Diana would not hear anymore of it. She sheer idea was absolutely ridiculous. She had no interest in man whatsoever, whether he be super or not.

"Besides," she continued, "I probably won't even see him again. I've got many places to visit, more questions to be answered. He'll be off averting some global disaster on the other side of the planet. So enough of that." Wonderwoman got out of her seat and stood to her full statuesque beauty.

"I cannot recall where my next press conference is tomorrow. Do you mind, Priscilla?"

"Oh of course not! Part of my job after all!" She turned to her blackberry, punching a few buttons, various glowing screens popping up; Diana would never get this technology.

"Ah here we go," Priscilla's eyes lit up when she came across the appointed location, "Tomorrow's conference takes place in none other than the City of Tomorrow, Metropolis."


	3. Chapter 3

**Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could've Happened**

Disclaimer: I do not own any DC related characters present in this fanfiction story.

_Author's Note: Hello any whom have gotten a chance to check my story out. I'm really happy with what reviews I've gotten. Besides my love for the characters, they are a part of what keeps me writing this story I enjoy. Now I'm forewarning anyone who reads this that there is little if any "action" to appear in this chapter. Every so often I've got to set my sights on strictly character development and plot set-up. This is one of those chapters where there is pretty much all talking and some foreshadowing to come. If you like this like I do in novel's I've read than all the more better! Still, I warned you! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and would love for more reviews! Thanks again, and enjoy!_

-DarkRaikoh

"I got to tell you, Smallville, it is taking a lot of forced willpower to keep you on this shared byline with me." Lois was taking long, fast strides in her walk, heels making loud "clacks' against the floor of the Daily Planet editing room. She barely took the time to even look at the lumbering Clark Kent following behind her.

"By what reasoning, Lois?" Clark had the right words to say, but never the level of commitment necessary to reinforce his point. He would always start of strong but slowly lose momentum, his original point sort of dying in the end. He continued his defense nevertheless.

"Perry sent both of us to cover the Princess' conference. We both split the note taking and furthermore half the story angles and quotes are from my note pad." Lois raised her index finger, the room lights adding a short of gleam to her violet nail polish.

"You left me alone, "partner". I thought I was going to be trampled by the press and politician combo if the looming terrorists didn't kill me first. I know that chivalry is dead, but I was starting to think you might've been a cut above the average male, personality wise, Kent." Clark finally managed to match her speed, his awkwardly moving legs synchronizing with hers as he turned to try and talk to her more personably.

"How many times do I have to tell you I was thrown into the ocean? The very second that chaos began some big guy rammed into me and over I went!" He was throwing his arms out in an almost fit.

"Honestly, Smallville…"

"You know I'm not a strong swimmer. Remember what happened at that protest in California where they were freeing those whales?"

"It just seems that a lot of these unfortunate things happen to you, Clark," She actually took her eyes off her notes and glanced at him, "Can never catch a break, or what?" As if sharing one mind, the two of them had stopped together amidst a sea of reporters trying to make deadline.

"Born clumsy and unfortunate I guess," He scratched the back of his head part casual, part embarrassment, "Come on Lois, I turned up at the hotel within the hour as I always do. Can't keep me away for long."

"Perhaps so, but wouldn't you start to worry if I disappeared after a giant mob brawl and a failed assassination attempt?" Clark raised his eyebrows a little in surprise, and pushed his sliding thick-frame glasses further up on the bridge of his nose. A slyly grim began to curve on his face.

"You… you were worried about me?" Perhaps a touch of scarlet formed on Lois' face, before she gave a large eye roll and began walking again.

"Anyone ever tell you, you read too much into comments?" Clark stood in his place for another short moment, sheepish grin still on his face before he attempted to catch up with her again. No more than five feet ahead was a single door in their path. It was a door of great significance to every single reporter employed by the Daily Planet. Its appearance wasn't special in any particular way, just a simple, brown oak door with a translucent window blurring the contents on the other side into muddled, incomprehensible shapes. In the smack-dab center of the window were giant, bolded, Times New Roman letters that spelt out "**EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PERRY WHITE". **Under any normal circumstances, an employee was to knock first and be ushered in by the Chief's distant voice. The Daily Planet was hotwired to all news feed all around the globe, so logically being its Editor-in-Chief produced mountains of work to be read and written through, phone calls to be answered, irritating rookies to be shooed off etc. etc. Fortunately for the duel reporters and unfortunately for the Chief, Lois was not up on her door etiquette. Her hand reached for the silver knob and she threw the door open.

"Darlene is my mocha here yet-Oh." Perry White had been staring down at an article about some urban legend about a bat creature in Gotham City; he wasn't much one for gossip and speculation. On either side of his desk were stacks of paper that reached about three feet off the surface. What had begun as rock hard facial features slowly sagged out of weariness when he realized it was once again Lois who appeared uninvited. Just behind her, Clark Kent, introverted as hell but a damn fine writer.

"Lois. Kent." He gave a nod to them, running a hand along fresh stubble that had just poked out of his chin that morning. It was hard to tell how old the Chief was, and everybody feared asking him. His appearance gave a strange contradiction with itself that made the age question all the more unanswerable. On one part, his hair was a dark shade of silver, his voice gruff and his facial expressions quite mature and father-like; but at the same time he possessed this youthful vigour to him when it came to capturing the news. Obviously decades of chasing after stories and phenomena did wonders to the aging process.

"I e-mailed mine and Smallville's coverage of the press conference and assassination attempt this morning, Chief." Lois was always at the forefront of everything. As she stepped closer to his desk she noticed that the office smelt less like cigar smoke than usual, perhaps he finally took her advice and cut back on that nasty habit of his.

"Not a doubt in my mind that you wouldn't Lois. Why you and Kent here are quickly becoming the tour de force of the Daily Planet. Who better to count on for flying in and out of Greece with a top story than the Wonder Twins." Perry meant this in the utmost honesty with a limited amount of sarcasm; Clark knew Lois would not take it that way. He scratched at his brow while he could feel the scathing aura projecting off of Lois. She was a sweet person deep down, really, but she was also fiercely independent. Her name was "Lois Lane" after all, not "Lois Lane and Clark Kent"; he desperately hoped she wouldn't take this out on him somehow.

"Still rummaging to find a good shot to go with the article though," He scanned some of his drawers and the cluttered jungle on his desk, "We must've had a good half dozen Planet photographers there and none of 'em could get a half-decent shot of the heroes in action."

"Mr. White," Clark piped up, taking a step forward and lifting that invisible force field that seemed to surround him constantly, "If I may, Superman and Wonderwoman moved really fast, I think if I were a photographer it'd be really hard to take a shot of a solid image with those two zipping around helping everybody." Lois took a momentary glance at him, no real meaning behind it, just acknowledging his presence. Meanwhile Perry gave him a real scanning look followed by a toothy grin.

"For the last time, Kent, call me Perry! For the love of the late King Presley, you've been working here for a solid year now and you still use the "Mister". You can call my dad Mr. White god rest his soul, but you're gonna' make me feel as old as him." Clark's eyes widened a little, Perry noted that he got taken aback very easily.

"Well, I'm sorry Mister-…Perry." He said the first name in a struggled fashion as though he were being tortured for it.

"Give Smallville a break," Lois chimed in, "That's what they're like in those small rural towns, all "pleases" and "thank you's" and 110 formalities, country seed hasn't adapted to city life yet." A wicked smile curved across her face and he shot her a glare.

"It's good you bring light to the Superman and Wonderwoman issue though Kent." Perry sorted through some files of his, not looking at them but still giving his full attention sub consciously.

"Issue? There's an issue?" Clark said with an ignorant surprise.

"Well, perhaps issue isn't the best word to use for the potential we have here." It was hard to explain, but the expression on Perry's face made it seem as though he were really craving to chomp on a cigar at this point in time.

"You're spiraling around the sink hole, Chief. What's the point you're getting at?" It seemed the Editor-in-Chief had found what he was looking for, snatching it out of a red file and standing out of his chair. With the assistance of stronger than normal perception, Clark noted it to be his and Lois' article.

"Lois, Kent, this is solid A material if I ever read it. We've got a huge issue here dealing with an attempt on the life of a peace ambassador from an island nobody knows the location of. There's prime conflict and hidden facts yet to be revealed… but from the public's opinion, it's about to be bumped from the front page."

"WHAT?" Lois took one long stride towards the desk and threw her hands flat upon it. She was dedicated to her job in such a way that any submitted article of hers HAD to make the front page, it was her philosophy and it had done her well for her career; both men in the room could understand this outburst of displeasure.

"There… is something else the people want to know more about…" If the Perry White was ever at a loss of words, it was around Lois Lane.

"Which is…?" A single finger began to tap on his desk, she had to know whatever this hot issue was, chances are she would have to pursue it herself to stay on top.

"Right, the main issue in itself that people want to know IS Superman and Wonderwoman." The tapping stopped instantly, Clark stiffened too; it was as though his body froze completely at will.

"What about Superman and Wonderwoman?" He was the one to ask the question.

"Exactly!" Perry threw a finger at Clark like a loaded gun, "What about Superman and Wonderwoman? These costumed people are showing up everywhere now, fighting crimes, righting wrongs. Central City's got that speedster guy while Star City has a modern-day Robin Hood; but we as the average people have YET to see these guys team up before. Bam! All of a sudden we've got the Man of Steel and the Amazonian Princess of Might side by side pummeling those terrorists! And people want to know why. Are they going to work together in the future? Are they old college friends? Are they seeing each other?" When the latter question was asked, Clark could've sworn he heard Lois' knuckles cracking, he fought back a gulp. Perry continued in his ranting explanation.

"THESE are what need to be shown on the front page, more Wonderwoman and Superman coverage! They are the super powered equivalent of a celebrity couple more or less."

"Um… Perry." Clark half raised his hand.

"Kent?"

"Not meaning to reign on your parade… and not doubting your abilities to spot a good story… But I don't think there was any hint that explicitly stated they were a couple… I'm pretty sure they had just met on the spot…" The thing about Kent, Perry noted, was that he had a lot of hunches, especially about the Superman coverage. Oddly enough the majority of his hunches would turn out correct, as if he went bowling with the guy or something.

"Well Kent, that's why I pay you reporters, I want you to get the lowdown on these two. Lois," he turned to she who now had her arms crossed in an air that seemed unimpressed, "You get the one-on-one's with Superman the easiest, work your magic to get his angle."

_"Perfect," _Clark began to think, _"Now I have to dodge questions about Superman's personal life, what are we in high school again?" _He really had not considered the effect just a casual conversation with Princess Diana would have on the public, forgetting how easily they jumped to conclusions.

"You listening to me, Kent?"

"Huh? Sorry Chief, jet lagged still I think." He planted himself back into reality.

"Right. I was just hypothesizing that with Lois having such a knack for talking to Superman, perhaps by some act of God the same will work for Wonderwoman and you." Even as Superman, Clark assumed he wasn't really going to run into the Princess that much again, a woman with her kind of schedule.

"I think that's a little easier said than done, Chief," Clark adjusted his glasses a little, "I mean however Lois got Superman's attention… whose to say that it'll work on the Princess as well…" He remembered exactly how Lois had gotten his attention for the interview. It had first appeared that she had driven her car off a bridge into the deep water. He had heard her screams from across the city, shooting through the sky and fishing her out in time before any water leaked in… It was then he had noticed the air tanks under her seat afterwards, she was a good reporter after all.

"I always knew you respected my abilities, Clark," She winked at him mockingly.

"You're a reporter Kent! And a damn fine one, you've managed to snag stories bigger than this, like the weapons of mass destruction in Khandaq, brilliant work!" These were all buttered words to coax what was assumed to be an easily swayed Clark Kent.

"I don't know Chief… She flies everywhere around the world, country to country. I can't just get a plane ticket for every place she's been..." There was a long pause of awkward silence as both Lois and Perry stared him down.

"Have you been so wrapped up in your little hick town world that you've been missing the news?" Lois was in joking shock.

"Hm?"

"Great Caesar's Ghost, Kent! You WORK at a newspaper publisher and you still missed it?"

"Missed what?"

"It's been all over the TV," Lois began to explain, "Jack Ryder's been reporting it, Wonderwoman's got another press conference today in Metropolis in say… oh I don't know, 2 hours?"

"And you two are going to be there!" Perry chimed in.

"But we were already at the press conference in Greece, how could it be much different?" Clark posed the question. Lois turned, sitting herself on the edge of the desk and kicking her legs casually.

"Chances are, Smallville, that all the questions directed to her today will be about the assassination attempt."

"Or the Superman factor." Perry wanted to make note. Lois responded by giving a heavy roll of her eyes, Clark fought the temptation to grin.

"Yes… that too."

"Looks like you two will have your hands full on the super duo." Lois got off the desk and whipped back around.

"But Chief! What about the terrorists? We haven't even gotten reports on their interrogation! There's got to be a big story there!"

"Lois, you're a fantastic reporter, but you need to learn the concept of prioritizing. Wonderwoman and Superman are the immediate story; all the terrorism we got going on around the world makes your other story more of a sideline; you can tackle it when you get the interviews with you know which two. Are we clear?" Perry White didn't use a strict voice, but you didn't want to deny him either.

"…Yeah, crystal." Lois said in an almost downtrodden manner, slinking past Clark and out the door.

"Uh, Lois! Wait!" Clark immediately turned on his heel and chased after her, door shutting behind him. People seemed to keep a short distance away from her at all time when she was marching the way she was, as though she were surrounded by a repelling aura.

"Lois! So I figure we'll get ready and head to the press conference together?" Clark addressed the issue immediately, better to get it out of the way with her.

"Not going to the press conference, Clark."

"You-what?"

"You heard me, not going. If he wants a gossip columnist, he can consult Cat Grant. Me, I'm going after the terrorist story; it's your call what you want to do." She felt Clark's hand come down on her shoulder and she was stopped instantly, being such a docile guy he seemed stronger than he let on.

"Lois, you know Perry means well…" Lois turned around to look up at Clark. He was mild-mannered, he was sometimes clumsy and didn't always speak up for himself, but he was also one of those genuine guys you could at least confide something into.

"I know Clark. Perry's a brilliant Editor, probably the best there is. Unfortunately for the newspaper business, he's got to keep up with the stories most wanted rather than the most important… But this whole superhero/coupling angle just isn't my forte. That's why I know you can cover for me when you attend the conference." She turned around briskly once more and made to leave.

"Wait, what?" Clark went to follow her but the tone of her voice didn't seem to allow it.

"One of us has to be there, Smallville!" She said shouting behind her, "Call it breaking even with the Greece ditching yesterday!" And with that said she disappeared into the masses. Lois Lane seemed to bring new meaning to the term bipolar, any inside thought she was ready to reveal was quickly withdrawn back into her hard shell of an exterior.

"Clark! Hey CK!" He would've recognized that young, rich in enthusiasm voice anywhere as it came bounding from behind him.

"Hey Jimmy! I thought you weren't coming in to work today?" Jimmy Olsen had a great heart within him, but at the same time possessed his own atmosphere of awkward. In many ways he reminded Clark of himself when he was younger, just trying to find his place in the bigger world. He always carried a top-notch camera either around his neck or in his hands, and this became the cause of some pretty professional shots in the Planet; even some front pagers.

"Are you kidding?! Wonderwoman… IN METROPOLIS… You think I'm going to be eating Fruit Loops on my couch when she gets here? No thank you, I'm grabbing a press pass and snapping some shots!" He motioned with his camera, checking the zoom and focus for what was probably the twelfth time. Clark chuckled and patted the cub reporter on the shoulder.

"Well then how's about you carpool with me there?" Jimmy's face lit up with that child-like excitement, despite him being somewhere around nineteen years old (or so Clark thought). Naturally, Superman was Jimmy's favourite hero above all, but Clark filled the role of a more local personable hero to Jimmy; and of course the photographer was unaware that both local and grander hero were actually the same person.

"That would be AWESOME CK! I can see it now! The Kent and Olsen Dream Team! One's a Pulitzer prize writer and the other is a gritty, always gets his shot photographer!" Jimmy held his hands overhead as if visualizing the two in a shot before his eyes.

"…Yeah, Ha, I think I can see something like that in our future." Clark looked at the boy with some puzzlement but accepted it as just Jimmy being Jimmy, "Anyway, I need to sort through some papers and formulate some sort of plan as to how I'm going to get a personal interview with the Princess." Clark almost groaned out the last part of his tasks. He supposed the easiest access to talking to her would be as Superman, the two of them seemed to reach a mutual respect for each other, and she was very welcoming to conversation with him.

_"But the interview should be Clark's accomplishment… not Superman's." _Despite having such awesome power at his disposal, Clark still liked to limit his using of them, only when helping people were they necessary.

"Hey, Clark?"

"Yeah Jimmy?"

"What's she like?" Jimmy was staring down at his camera it seemed on purpose when he asked the question.

"Hm?"

"The Princess… Wonderwoman. You and Lois were at her conference in Greece… what was she like?"

"Oh, um…" Besides writing it down for the Planet paper, Clark had never planned on expressing his personal opinion of the Princess; he found it oddly difficult to put in words.

"Well Jimmy… she is a spectacle to say the least. Just standing on a stage… or probably just in a room, she boasts this presence that demands attention. Yet, she doesn't do it intentionally, it is just the sheer marvel of her. Honestly I don't think there is a vain bone in her body. She is in every right the physical manifestation of a positive message, one of peace, and I believe she will succeed." The way words came out of his mouth were majestic in a way, he hadn't expected them.

"You talk as though you know her on a personal level." Jimmy cocked an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Clark's head twitched over to look at Jimmy, "Oh, no. Not me… I honestly am not certain whether or not I'll be able to bring myself to talk to her." His face turned a touch of pink, Jimmy pegged Clark as the chivalrous type that was shy around pretty girls. The two had been so involved in their conversation that they had failed to notice the change in the flow of reporters. What had been packed rows and columns through cubicles seemed to space out and empty.

"CLARK! JIMMY!" Steve Lombardi, a guy who was usually writing for the local news section vigorously signaled them over with his thumb to the window. There was already a procession of employees squeezed against the glass like a mad fan group in line for concert tickets. The two gave each other a look and then trotted over at a quick pace.

"What's going on, Steve?" Clark came closer to the mob; despite a slight hunch in his stance he was a head taller than most people. It was then that his quick eyes caught the golden figure that streaked across the sky, that gleaming beacon of hope he had just met.

"Wonderwoman, Kent! Wonderwoman's doing a city fly by to greet the people! Damn she's beautiful!" From his vantage point, he saw that the Princess had stopped, hovering hundreds of meters above the streets below, looking down upon the people with a warm face. Clark then checked his watch, about an hour and a half until her press conference, the reporter in him told him to take advantage of the situation.

_"Think I'm going to have to take a page out of Lois' investigative reporting methods." _

"Look at her, CK. She's not soaking in the fame like some celebrity, she's just greeting us average joes, so majestic and-." Jimmy turned to find Clark had gone. For a guy well over six feet, he sure was good at disappearing.

"CK? Clark?" Jimmy scratched his head and scanned the mob, no sign of him, "Better not stand me up for the conference!"

_"I suppose from a modern, architectural stand point, this Metropolis is a rather beautiful city." _Wonderwoman hovered, relaxed just above the city's sky line, her legs dangling in a way that would be terrifying to someone unused to the concept of self-flight. She had arrived in Metropolis at about 1pm Eastern Standard Time, but had kept a low profile up until this point. Actually, it had been Priscilla's idea what she was doing now.

_"Metropolis is the city Superman is most commonly seen in, they love a good fly by! This is your runway walk, Diana. Fly above the people, show them your warmth and acceptance of them, kiss babies, I don't care! I want them to see every positive side to you that I see on a day-to-day basis." _The conversation had occurred on their private jet from Greece, this being entirely confidential. Whose to say that there wouldn't be another attack against the Princess? Following the conversation with Superman the night prior, it had completely slipped her mind, questioning the terrorists; she also doubted Superman got around to it what with the Earthquake or whatever hundreds of lives he was saving. She had to make note not to be so careless or get as easily distracted for future reference. She extended her smooth arms above her head, folding the hands together in a streamline and then dove towards the main street beneath her. To add spectacle to it all her entire body began to spiral, the natural light reflecting off of her outfit in glorious patterns. About thirty feet above the street she let her arms lose and pulled up instantly in a display that would make any bird jealous. Cars were stopped, people were crowding the streets, applauding and cheering at her. She wondered if this was the kind of reception that Superman got all the time. She gave a big, warm smile down to everyone, melting their hearts in the process before continuing ascension. She went even higher this time, but with purpose. A little thought at the back of her mind made her want to scan the skies around her. Maybe… just maybe she would see the blue and red streak across the sky, hover up along side her, give a friendly "Hello" and "How have you been?" Who knew if her new super friend was even on the same continent at this present moment?

_"You are thinking way too much into this miniscule matter." _She reassured herself and prepared to move on wards to the other areas of this grandeur town. She didn't QUITE get her blue and red streak in the sky…

"HELP! HEEEEEELP ME I'M SLIPPING!" A man's voice, a panicked man's voice. Diana's muscles tensed and her heart picked up pace a little. She scanned at the building tops below her. The people below started to react to the shouting as well, the dots in the street pointing up in the direction where they thought it was coming from.

"HELP! OH NO! HEL-AAAAAAAH!" She pinpointed the sound now. A flailing heap of suit and tied man was dropping through the sky like a rock. And as she had done countless times before, Wonderwoman dove down at incredible speed. The man's fall had had a head start, but she could out race any gravitational pull. The man was about halfway down a building that had a giant golden sphere on it's top before the mighty arms wrapped around him. Diana had clutched him in the most comfortable position she could, slowing their descent and shooting away. The cheers had erupted into a thunderous roar of approval; the people of Metropolis really loved their superheroes. She took the two of them to a distant building top, away from the prying eyes of the people. It was under her assumption that the man had had quite a scare, and was probably a touch embarrassed being saved by a woman. They touched down and she let him stand… which he did rather casually for a man who almost plummeted to his death.

"Are you alright?" She kept a hand on his shoulder, thinking he may have needed some sort of comfort.

"Never better," He pressed a pair of thick-rimmed glasses up on his nose before holding out his own hand, "Clark Kent, Daily Planet, mind if I ask for an interview?"

"Are all men this insane? Are they all so foolish and irrational? Did the simple concept of common sense take time to pass through that obviously thick head of yours?" Wonderwoman held the feeble man up by one shoulder, his feet dangling helplessly just an inch above the rooftop. Her hold was firm, but she made sure that her touch remained gentle enough not to injure him.

"I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am-I mean Princess Diana." The man seemed to be on verge of a nervous crash. She wasn't sure whether this was because of how easily she lifted him like a feather or because he was simply in the presence of a woman.

"Who's to say I was going to be there? Who knew whether or not I would have gotten to you in time? Your life that easily thrown away over a newspaper story?" She shook him a little to potentially rattle an answer off his lips. He threw a shaky hand up to his thick glasses and stopped them from flopping off his nose before giving his answer.

"Call it blind faith or naivety. I was absolutely certain you would catch me in time; and it seems my hunch proved true… didn't it?" Her eyebrows ruffled a little as if she contemplated what to do next. Suddenly Priscilla's stern, by the book voice echoed through her head.

_"Now, lighten up on the warrior bit. I mean, I'm one of the first people you'll find backing up female power… But intimidation doesn't do great for your image. You'll have to practice more with your patience and kindness to win the people over…" _Her arm muscles loosened and she lightly placed his feet back on solid ground. He waited for a moment, as if expecting a formal permission given, before making a large exhale of air.

"You news people are a persistent lot, aren't you?" She said with a weak attempt at humour. Mr. Kent readjusted the tie around his neck and shined an idolizing smile her way.

"It's the top stories that are keeping a roof over my head, it's a risky way of life, but a necessary one. Anyway, my original intentions were-."

"Wait a minute! I know you…" The dawning of an epiphany stretched across the Princess' flawless portrait of a face, "Mister Kent, you attended my conference in Greece. You were the one that questioned my goals of peace." Her memory served her astoundingly well. Clark had always gone out of his way to be the man that was forgotten easily, pushed into the back of somebody's cluttered mind. It was a rarity to have anyone, especially someone as big and influential as the Princess Diana remember who he was.

"Uh… yeah, guilty as charged I'm afraid." It could've been worse, she could have somehow seen through his rather simplistic mild-mannered disguise. She put her hands to her hips, and Clark was met with one of the sternest of looks he had ever received.

"You know, in public I never got the opportunity to confront you over your question."

"I'm sorry?"

"Your skepticism, you asked me whether or not my mission was realistic. Are most men as optimistic as you are?"

"Please Princess, don't misinterpret me," Clark tried not to sound too defensive, this interaction with her was far more awkward than when he was Superman, "As a reporter, I often have to play devil's advocate. There can never be one side to a story Princess; the reporter always has to look for at least two. We've got things here in the media called "bias" and "libel writing"… It's a morally sticky job, but someone's gotta' do it."

"Please, Mr. Kent, don't call me Princess; Diana suits me fine." It was just like she was the previous day, treating both man and Superman equally; she was spectacular.

_"Spectacular? Easy Kent, just met her."_

"So what is it you really wanted to know, Mr. Kent?"

"Clark."

"Clark, why should I grant you a private interview when I have a legion of other reporters waiting for my attention? As you people would say… sell your point to me." Her awkward grasp of the modern world was entertaining, bringing a slight grin to his face.

"Well I guess I should be honest with you, Diana… my Editor wanted me to get the low down on your relationship with Superman…" It was always weird referring to his duel-identity in a conversation, the spandex seemingly pulsating underneath his civilian clothes when the "S" name was mentioned. Diana's eyebrows lowered, shoulders slumping, she was unimpressed. And who wouldn't be? You come to a brave new world trying to make a difference, and all the people want to know is your social calendar, it must have been upsetting to say the least.

"But…" Clark continued, "I'd be lying to you if I said that's what I really wanted to find out for myself." A look of intrigue now, running a slender finger along her chin, he couldn't help but observe the sheer finesse of her physical form. It was all so breath taking and infuriating to have on the mind at the same time.

"So tell me, Mr. Kent. What exactly is it you really want to know?" He had her on the hook, now it was a matter of reeling her in with the right response.

_"Something disrespectful about comparing her to a fishing metaphor," _Clark was having a problem with internal thoughts as of current, _"Alright Clark… don't blow it… those years of college and back packing had to have taught you something about people… Here goes…" _He literally took a deep breath before giving his answer.

"I want to know you, Diana. Sure, you've addressed the main points of what you want, and ideas of how to achieve that goal. But I have to tell you; people would respond a lot more if they knew your own personal feelings on the matter, where your heart is coming from. It humanizes you, and it'll make the public like you all the better… trust me; they can see the goddess on the TV screen, now let them read about the woman on paper." He ended with an equally drawn out exhale and anxiously waited for her to comply. Diana wondered if this reporter knew Priscilla at all, it seemed almost as though he took a page from her own publicity advice; yet… his words striking more poetic.

"Clark," The realization of time passing had just come to her then, "I am going to be late for my conference prep time if we stay up here much longer," A pleasant smile came from her warm features, "How would you like to stand in the stage wings during my presentation, hm? We can conclude with that interview afterwards." The man went wide-eyed; a tint of red flushing over his cheeks, this particular one got flustered very easily.

"I-uh… That would be wonderful but… You know I've got a good friend of mine I promised to attend the conference with. In all my conscience I can't stand him up." He shrugged his shoulders as if in defeat, losing such a great opportunity.

"Let him come too, then."

"…Really?"

"You know the location of the Centennial Park amphitheatre? Go around the back, when you get to security ask for Priscilla Rich, and tell her your Diana's special guests, then show your press passes. I'll handle it." She winked casually, as if this were the least she could do for him, like they had known each other for months as oppose to minutes.

"Pri-Diana… This is… really amazing of you." She had already turned and was making her way for the building ledge before she turned briefly.

"I always thought it was hard to find a man with an honest heart. In the course of a day I've already found two. I think we can help each other Mr. Kent, it's the least I can do." He didn't have the time to show his swelling gratitude, she had leapt over the edge and took off like an elegant bird. Clark stood their frozen in his tracks, reassuring himself that all of that had just happened.

_"And who ever said Clark Kent wasn't as likeable as Superman?"_ He gave himself a personal pat on the back and soon too had the time epiphany.

"Oh jeez! Jimmy!" The suited reporter became a gray blur as he shot down the building stairs much faster than a normal human could.

"Come on ya' meat heads! Back it up!" Dan "Terrible" Turpin was throwing his arms out in circles as he tried to fight off a wave of the press. Reporters and news people alike were flashing cameras and clawing hands out, trying to somehow magically reach past the blockade they had set up. News of the assassination attempt on Princess Diana had traveled fast, naturally. Despite having the notoriety of being one tough female heroine, her safety was still compromised. And since her next meeting was in Metropolis, logically they would call up Metropolis' best law enforcement to assure the Princess' safety. The Metropolis Special Crimes Unit (or SCU for short) was the bread and butter of the police. They were the ones who went in to fight the toughest baddies when Superman wasn't around. Turpin had seen some of the worst of it, from the life-sucking Parasite, to that spark shooting Livewire girl. But now, Director Maggie Sawyer had stuck him in the irritating job of crowd control. On either side of him were about a half dozen armoured officers, heavy ballistic shields held out in front of them. Turpin wanted no such thing, simply dressed in his blue work suit, red tie, and a black derby hat squashed firmly on his head.

"Get that camera outta' my face before I make ya' eat it, kid!" He called threateningly to some young, wet behind the ears photographer. Dan Turpin didn't garner a nickname like "Terrible" for gentle public relations towards the people. He was seasoned, tough as granite, and easily set off if you got on his bad side. Even his face seemed unrealistically aggressive: a hard jaw, intensely black eyes, a pair of thick, bushy eyebrows placed at sharp angles, and the gray hair of a man who had seen a lot of bad stuff.

_"Damn it Maggie, you owe me a big one." _It was typical of the young ones like Maggie, going overboard, putting up more men than was actually needed. There was nothing here out of the ordinary, just a bunch of soulless media representatives. Besides, Greece was one thing, but to stage an attack on the City of Tomorrow? That was another. Everyone knew that Superman was always patrolling the skies, looking for trouble. And the point was made for what he and the Princess could do as a team.

_"Ah, Supes… You ever had to do crowd control before?" _Turpin thought humourously in his mind. He was a little weary the first time Big Blue popped out of the sky… He WAS an alien after all; movies never gave them the greatest of reputations. But the Man of Steel turned out to be as harmless as E.T. so long as you were on the right side of the law. Suppose Wonder Woman was just like him, perhaps that was merit enough to give her a listen.

"Excuse me, Inspector Turpin?" A suave, crisp voice came from his right, and he spun around.

"Who the hell-?" His hand was wresting on the pistol he kept at his side at all times.

"At ease, soldier! I mean no harm." The man threw his hands up in self-defense, a man in heavy brown trench coat and a fedora tilted to the side on his head. Not much could be seen of the face, the way the hat cast a shadow over it, but Turpin could see the sides of his platinum blonde hair.

"How'd you-?" In all honesty, it seemed like the man had simply appeared out of thin air, but normal people just didn't do that, "How'd you get past the blockade? We got this here locked tight, nobody could-."

"I came in through the back, I'm one of the special personnel assigned to the security and protection of our special guest Ambassador." The officers paid no attention to the two conversing, merely keeping their eyes on the news hungry crowd.

"Does the special personnel have a name?" Turpin couldn't help but sound slightly perturbed, he'd heard nothing about any such additions to the security staff.

"Detective Resa. I was shipped over from Greece's special services. We've never had the pleasure of meeting." He held out his hand in a polite gesture of shaking. There was something about this man that set Turpin off, something he didn't like. Perhaps it was the fact he could only see the lower half of the man's face, the eyes barely visible. Also, there was the supposed Detective's smile, there was sharpness to it, the kind of smile you'd find on a shark.

"Yeah. Nice to meet ya'-." Deciding it best not to be rude with the detective, he threw his hand out to complete the handshake… his arm was on fire. He wanted to yelp at the sudden pain, but found his vocal chords hushed, not even a rasp escaped his silenced throat. Detective Resa's grip was impregnable; Turpin couldn't rip his hand free. The only thing he could really do was swiveling his eyes down to observe it. Every single vein and artery in his one forearm was a swollen, pulsating deep red. Was that why it burned so much? The thick red stuff began to grow, spreading through the veins and all throughout his body. Detective Resa gave a soft tug and brought Turpin's ear close to that shark smile of his.

"I am told your aim is impeccable with a firearm, Inspector Turpin." His crisp voice became a soft, slithery hiss in his ear; "Terrible" Turpin was indifferent to it, he only felt the sensation to listen carefully.

"The Princess Diana speaks nothing but ill, tasteless lies, I want you to use that talent of yours when you know it right. Do you understand?" Turpin's brain absorbed each word like a sponge and he gave a nod of his head.

"Goooood. Now tell me, who is it you serve?" The answer came to him so quickly, so obviously. He knew this answer would please this man.

"I serve the Spear obediently." He spoke monotonous, without the usual punch in his voice.

"I trust your word, Mr. Turpin, but now is your chance to prove it. You know what you must do, now." With these final instructions, Detective Resa had vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Cheers erupted from the crowd of people, but they did not reach Turpin's ears. He turned around to face the large stage, an eloquent figure practically of gold walked gracefully up to the podium set just for her.

"It is with great pleasure that I address the citizens of Metropolis." Her soothing words were the only sounds he could hear, as they cut into him deeply, making him even angrier. He moved his right arm slowly, so as not to cause any alert by his men, he reached for his pistol…


	4. Chapter 4

**Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could've Happened**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any DC related characters present in this fanfiction story.**

_Author's Note: So… it's been a while… again. Sorry to all readers of my lateness with this chapter. I want to say that I can pick up the pace of my writing this, but I'm not sure I can make the commitment. I'm juggling this story with some other little writing projects of mine as well as school. Though I am truly grateful for the positive feedback I've been getting. All the responses I've been receiving as I write about characters I love makes this an awesome experience all around. But getting to the story… dark actions are being set into motion. Our super heroic duo is gathering more enemies then they realize. Prepare for the appearance of another powerful DC character to be thrown in on this chapter. Hope you enjoy!_

"I don't know if you hear this all the time, CK, but you are the MAN!" Jimmy was adjusting the focus on his camera, getting a good side profile shot of Wonderwoman at the podium. The journalist/photographer duo found themselves standing in the wings of the amphitheatre, granted this privilege by the Princess Diana herself, combined with Clark's obviously hidden negotiation skills. Whenever Jimmy would ask him "really, how'd you do it?" Clark's modesty would take over, shrugging his shoulders and replying, "The Princess is very gracious and generous". He and Jimmy had to have been the only press allowed backstage, the other guests being higher ranking members of society; politicians, activist groups etc.

"Don't look now, CK, but I think that's Lex Luthor in the crowd over there." Jimmy's head twisted a wide angle around, eyes pointing in his direction of viewing. Clark thought he could see the shiny baldhead swimming through the dozens of socialites choosing to stand further in the sidelines than them.

"I thought Lexcorp was into military applications, why would Lex attend a peace conference?" Jimmy's brows shuffled as he lolled his tongue around inside his mouth, a habit he performed while in deep thought.

"Lex is a media shark, Jimmy. He'll probably try and get a shot shaking hands with the Princess. It gives him a great appearance to the public eye while he continues undoubtedly with secret deals." Clark had a frown cemented to his face, as he directed his gaze back to Princess Diana.

"Wow Clark, you really know how his type thinks, don't ya? Investigative journalism give you that gift over time?"

"Let's just say I've crossed paths with Lex many times, I ought to know him well by now." Clark Kent was an annoyance to Lex Luthor, he alongside Lois Lane being the reporters gutsiest to bring his shadier side to the public eye. But comparatively, Lex still considered Kent small fish. Where the mortal man was a slight irritation, the Superman was the object of his pure hatred. It was the Man of Steel whom utterly defied the multi-billionaire, business mogul at every turn. Basically, were it not for Clark's super identity, Mr. Luthor's claws would be sunken much deeper into Metropolis than what they were now.

"-We Amazons are not all war-like as is the image portraying us. It is mandatory that the best scholars educate us all. We examine art, literature from both worlds, the philosophies of peace are of course a major topic of interest…" Diana worked that silky voice magic of hers to win over large portions of the audience. Clark scribbled short hand on his note pad, collecting what he thought significant quotes and angle ideas for another good story.

"Amazing, isn't she?" Normally Clark could hear any person approaching from behind him, but he had directed all of his senses towards the Princess that he failed to notice the stealthy woman.

"Hm? Oh, hello Ms. Rich. Yes, she certainly is something." Priscilla Rich was the one that Diana told Clark to ask for. He half expected some large, busty woman in tight, glittery clothing, an oversized ring for each chubby finger and a strangely quaffed hairstyle. So naturally, when the petite blonde woman with the slender figure was the one to appear behind the security guards, he was taken aback. Underneath her arm was a large clipboard, obviously a very "by-the-book" kind of woman. She seemed very professional in her look that Clark respected, but at the same time, she had this enticing look in her sparkling green eyes.

"Your investigative people skills must be quite extraordinary to have Diana warm up to you so quickly, Mr. Kent," That jade gaze gave him a full blast to which he turned his head away a little shyly, "How exactly DID you manage to meet her?"

"I um… jumped off a building." His comment was followed by a soft, bouncy laughter, as she was not aware of how serious he really was about the comment. Jimmy didn't even bother to try and intervene between the two, merely shifting his focus from one to the other; a "give me a break" look splashed across his face. But listening to his better judgment, he kept his mouth shut and snapped more pictures.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think my relationship to Superman has anything to do with the pressing matter of this conference…" Clark's eyes went over to Diana again as he bit his lip nervously. He more or less assumed that this would happen since this morning. He also had experience with the press, now they would only try to capitalize on the subject further.

"If anything," The Princess continued her explanation; "I respect him as a colleague, fighting for peace in his own way, in the places where I cannot be. But that is as far as the connection goes. We're both very busy individuals and each have our tasks to accomplish."

_"Good answer." _For whatever reason, Clark felt immensely relieved at how well Diana was handling the situation, and in some ways awe-inspired by it.

"Ah yes, I can see our hard work paid off after all." Priscilla beamed, Clark couldn't help but feel she was speaking to him directly and having it not as a general statement, he played the fool nevertheless.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh well, I know how "trustworthy" you reporters are with deep secrets…" She began to examine him from head to toe in a way that made him feel kind of awkward, "But you seem like an honourable gentleman… between you and me," she cupped a hand around her mouth and went down to a mere whisper, "Diana isn't so strong on her public appearances. The Amazonian Warrior gets a little tongue-tied. That's why I'm hired, I give her the reassuring pep-talk, lighten her spirits, get her out on the "battlefield" as I like to call the stage." Her smile was near ready to blind Clark it seemed. He didn't want to look at her funny, but it was a struggle.

"Well… I'm sure the Princess is glad to have a publicist like you than…" He gave an offhand smile and made it seem like he had to get back to his note scribbling.

"Er… right. Well, I need to make sure all the tech support and refreshments and such are going according to the schedule… it was nice meeting you Mr. Kent."

"Pleasure's all mine, Ms. Rich." His voice was genuine and she gave a nodding smile before brushing past Jimmy.

"Nice to meet you too lady." Jimmy grumbled as he stepped up beside Clark. The reporter chuckled at his partner's sarcastic remark, but Jimmy was not done.

"I hope the pretty, fake girls aren't your type Mr. Kent." Jimmy said rather casually.

"What?!" Clark shot him a look of surprise.

"Oh come on… could Ms. Rich's flirting be ANY more obvious?"

"Ms. Rich is just very friendly, Jimmy!" Clark turned into super defensive mode.

"Yeah… very friendly to those that catch her appeal, what am I? The invisible sidekick?"

"Don't worry Jimmy, you'll get your recognition one day." Clark reassured him in what could've been a pat on the head moment, but he thought it best to save Jimmy the pitying.

"Man, I can't believe what Lois is missing out on. Can you say pride-filled or what?" Jimmy spoke while firing off rounds of his camera.

_SNAP!_

_SNAP!_

_CLICK!_

_SNAP! _Clark's ears came to attention when he picked up a sound that didn't belong. Among Jimmy's picture takings was a louder sound of something thick and metallic. He adjusted the range of his hearing to try and zero in on the noise; it didn't go off again.

_"Damn…" _He didn't have a good feeling about this; he added his enhanced vision into the fray to help with the search. But there were so many people present… he had to find something unique, something to start with, that stood on its own.

_DA-DUMP! DA-DUMP! DA-DUMP! _Someone's heartbeat was going off like a machine gun, Clark estimated about 230 beats per minute; that was on verge of heart attack. His ears lead the way, ignoring whatever it was Jimmy was saying to him… his eyes found the target. SCU Inspector Dan Turpin filled his entire peripheral vision. He had encountered the law enforcer many times both as Clark and Superman; he was a good and honest man, a firm belief of upholding the law and an attitude to get the job done. But this good and honest man was holding up a powerful looking handgun, and it was pointing straight at the Princess. There were too many people around, too many cautious eyes, there was no way he could sneak out, transform into Superman and fly back in time without being noticed. But he was down to the wire, and his super fast thinking brain could only think of one logical option.

"LOOK OUT DIANA!" His voice was like a thunderous boom that forced away all other sound.

_BLAM! _The average people may not have been able to see it in such detail… but Clark could see everything. The firing of a gun was like a miniature version of Armageddon. The chamber flew back in one powerful motion as an explosion of fire erupted for just a split second; a giant lead slug spiraled on a path of imminent doom, cutting through the air in a way that looked extremely violent. Clark wanted to move now, his feet beckoned him to launch forwards, he could catch the bullet easy; but Wonder Woman was just as quick. Her keen eyes caught onto the gunman, throwing up her arm. The metal round ricocheted off one of her silver gauntlets, a harmless _ping _sound as if it were almost comical. Clark saw the bullet wedge itself into the stage and his heart was at ease. Everybody was so panic-stricken and confused that they paid no attention to the burly reporter standing solitary in his spot. He ripped off his glasses, and before Turpin could fit another shot in, Clark's eyes poured out pure heat. A twin shot of crimson beams connected with the weapon, sizzling against human flesh and making the seasoned officer cry out in pain. The orange glowing pistol fell to the ground with a thud, and the other officers began to push in on their superior.

"Sir?! What are you doing?!" All the officers held their mob control shields up, unsure how they could approach such a situation. Terrible Turpin's eyes were ablaze with fury, his mouth twisted into a mangled snarl.

"Pathetic flesh bag mortals!" The words were more spat out than spoken.

"Sir, don't think just because you're our commanding officer that we won't bring you down by any means necessary-." The one officer didn't get to finish his threat; Turpin lunged at him.

"AH! AAAAH!" The officer cried out. Despite his crowd control shield, Turpin managed to bring him down with surprising strength and resiliency. His fists that pounded against the Mylar protection actually began to make dents in it. Another officer rushed in to try and wrestle the old guy off, but received a kick to the stomach, the sound of cracking ribs present. He finally ripped the shield off the man's arm and went for the officer's Beretta M9 handgun.

"NO SIR!" The officer latched onto his arm, but Turpin punched through his visor, rendering him unconscious.

The violence had broken out so quickly before Wonder Woman could even think about reacting. The audiences backing away only emphasized the riot between the crowd control officers. A bunch of them were pounding their ballistics down on one man, whom still fought to wriggle his way out of them.

"Enough!" She cried out, her feet lifting off of the stage, "Let me deal with him-!"

_EERRRRRRRK! _The sound of metal wire wrenching and something quite massive came from behind her.

"AAAAAH!" One of the stage crew screamed out, throwing his hands in the air in a feeble attempt to protect his self. One of the giant stereo speakers, so heavy it had to be supported by a number of wires, began to shift its weight over. It cast a long shadow over the comparatively delicate man, and would crush him into the floor instantly.

"No!" She took off, positioning herself between the man and the stereo speaker just as it was about 9 feet from the stage and the fallen man. Her muscle sinews were like chords of metal, as she carefully began to ease the giant, black piece of weight upwards.

_SPRRRK! SPRRRK!_

"Gah!" She twitched as she felt worrying amounts of electricity snake through her body, the situation was getting worse. She had to move it into a safe position before there was a large enough electric shock to fry both her and the man she was trying to save.

"CLARK?! CK?! WHERE ARE YOU?! WE GOTTA-!" For whatever reason, she could hear the tiny voice of the red headed photographer that had accompanied Mr. Kent. He was being shoved in all sorts of directions by the larger suits trying to reach a safe distance.

"Steady…" She told herself calmly, as she came closer to standing the speaker upright.

Turpin elbowed his final opposition in the throat, now a convulsing heap on the ground. He watched menacingly as his target directed all her attention to stopping a speaker from crushing another man. It was a big mistake on her part to leave her back turned to him. He shut one eye, aiming the pistol carefully, pretty certain he'd be able to land one right in the back of her head.

_SWOOOOOSH! _Where there had once been the Princess' slender backside in his target zone, now stood a blazing pentagonal "S" on a large barreled chest. He opened his other eye and drank in the full view of Superman, a disappointed look on his face.

"No cheap shots, Turpin." He didn't even notice that the Beretta had already been snatched from his hand, now looking pretty harmless in the Man of Steel's. Keeping true to his namesake the hero crushed the firearm in his palm like a ball of paper and tossed it to the ground. Turpin's soul was on fire; he had to complete his task, no matter what obstacles stood in his way. He would tear this tight-wearing freak limb from limb, massacre him and then make his way toward the target. It was all he could think of, all he wanted, to make his master happy, to make the Spear happy. Turpin clearly wasn't thinking straight, taking into account the sheer impossibility of actually ripping Superman limb-from-limb.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" He practically foamed at the mouth, never would Superman have believed he could see such a predatory look on Turpin's face. The Inspector threw his fist forwards. Another faster than the human eye could catch gesture, and the Man of Steel clutched Turpin's wrist in his grip.

"Don't hurt yourself, Inspector." Superman brought up his other hand, and tapped Terrible Turpin on the forehead with two fingers; the sheer concussive force from just that was enough to make everything go dark for the Inspector, his body hanging limply.

"Are you alright?" After securing the speaker in place, Wonderwoman floated down and gently picked the man up and onto his feet. His body quivered in her hands, though trying to relax she could tell.

"Y-yeah. Thank you… t-thought I was a goner there." He forced a smile onto his face, admiration in the eyes that stayed glued to her.

"Helping people is the least I can do with the gifts granted to me." She didn't know it, but her smile pushed away all doubt and worry in his mind and he began to shift into relaxation, stepping away as his fellow crewman crowded around him.

"We really have to stop meeting like this." The soft baritone voice came from her left side. She turned to find none other than Superman floating over the stage edge and close up to greet her. Slung over his shoulder was a man's body, barely moving, and his legs swaying dully with nothing under them.

"Is he?"

"Just clonked out. He'll be up in an hour or two, mind you with a swollen skull." She looked a little more closely and recognized the broad-shouldered, bull-like body stature.

"That's the man that was aiming to shoot me." She spoke off-handedly, as though this were an expected thing to happen.

"It seemed that way."

"Perhaps in league with those terrorists in Greece, than?"

"No." Superman answered sharply, defensively, "This is Inspector Daniel Turpin of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. I can't count the number of times he's volunteered to help me with a case. It makes no sense why he would attack you, he was supposed to be protecting you."

"I can protect myself, thank you very much." She clarified, holding up the gauntlet she deflected the bullet with. Superman smiled in reaction and nodded.

"But of course. Nobody would dare oppose you in that." She returned his smile, and they just stood there in this awkward silence.

"Oh boy, Superman! Showing up in the nick of time as always!" Jimmy ran from the back stage, grinning from ear to ear, his arm waving wildly in the air. Clark was relieved to see that he was ok, what with how abruptly he had to leave him.

"Jimmy! I see the Planet can always count on you to be where the story is, becoming a regular "Mr. Action" aren't you?" Jimmy's face went about as red as his hair with pride, fingers tapping against the camera nervously.

"You two are acquainted?" Wonder Woman said in puzzled casual conversation style.

"Oh, me and Superman? Yeah! We go way back! Pretty much around the time he first appeared. Us, we're like pals!" Jimmy spoke with the utmost confidence, but seemed to look nervously at Superman as well, hoping for his approval.

"Yeah, only Jimmy can take the good pictures of me."

"Where's Mr. Kent?" Again, Clark was surprised to have someone like Wonderwoman asking about him, "He was with you if I am not mistaken." Jimmy's eyes widened in realization as he took a quick scan behind him, as if Clark would magically appear.

"You know what, I think he ran to call for some back-up police force or something, CK's always thinking smart like that." One couldn't help but notice the way his eyes went from Superman, to Wonder Woman, back to Superman and so forth.

"So how about a shot of you two, shaking hands? It'd be an instant front page and-."

"Hold the phone kid, wait until I'm finished with them." Superman recognized that tough-as-nails female voice instantly, a well-built women in a brown trench coat, short, blonde hair showed up. Her expression was hard, unflinching; she was Maggie Sawyer, Chief Inspector of the SCU. The moment she reached the two superheroes, towering over her in sheer majesty, she held her hands to her hips and gave them a thorough scan. Her eyes especially zeroed in on the unconscious pile thrown over Superman's shoulder.

"I got the gist of the situation from my men, Superman… I have no idea what got into Dan. Sure, he comes on a little strong, but this is something else entirely." Her hands twitched, like she wanted to take her partner off of Superman's hands; but she pulled back knowing she couldn't carry him like the behemoth of a hero standing before her.

"I agree with you, Maggie. There's something more to this; Dan was not himself. As a matter of fact, I've never seen any rational person act the way he did." He turned to Wonderwoman to see if she had an opinion of this, though she had never gotten the opportunity to interact with her would-be assassin.

"He should receive medical attention as quickly as possible," She suggested, "Perhaps this time we can get some word out on why I'm being attacked…" She crossed her arms unsettlingly. Already there had been two conferences, and each one ended poorly with an attempt on her life. Maggie looked at Wonderwoman almost grudgingly, kicking her feet a little before she attempted to apologize.

"I am truly sorry about our Inspector's actions, Princess. Please, let me assure you we at the SCU don't train our men to attack ambassadors… there's something that doesn't fit here." Superman recalled how it took Maggie some time to warm up to him, not used to having a super powered man beat her to the crime more often than not. Wonderwoman raised a hand to signify apologies unnecessary.

"I do not doubt your claim, Ms. Sawyer. I would like to ask you a favour though."

"… Go on?" Maggie's upper lip stiffened as she waited for whatever this request could be.

"Security in Greece would forbid such an opportunity… but I would like the chance to look into this matter myself. Allow me visitation to this Inspector Turpin, give me the opportunity to find the source of these attempts on my life. I fear that they may only grow greater in abundance if I don't take more forward an action." Maggie's face contorted in a way that showed she was giving some serious thought to the situation.

"I'd be more than happy to grant you that jurisdiction myself… but it would not reflect kindly on the SCU or Metropolis in general if I let an ambassador into a crime investigation… no matter how powerful she may be."

"-Then let me accompany her." Superman took the role of mediator, trying to find a solution in the cleanest way possible.

"Hm?" Maggie turned to Superman, intrigued. Wonderwoman could not help but feel some surprise herself to the idea.

"Surely I can more than qualify as protection for the Ambassador, despite the fact that she is fully capable of protecting herself," he winked at Diana quickly and she grinned, "Please, I think it's only fair that she'd want to have a personal look into her own potential assassination, and I'll be there to make sure everything's in check. We'll take it off the record for the SCU, you won't be responsible for either of us." The Chief Inspector tapped a finger against her pant leg and shifted her teeth against each other a little. Finally coming to a decision, she gave the thumbs up.

"Fine, I'll allow it, just because your record is better than spotless Superman." The wailing siren of an Ambulance cut through the hordes of people standing in hushed awe. A path had already been made by a number of SCU officers, and the white vehicle cruised through with ease. Two paramedics hopped out of the back with a gurney supported between them.

"We'll take him off your hands now, Superman." A young, tanned paramedic assured him politely. Superman nodded, gently placing Turpin's unconscious, mumbling body on the gurney, at which point he was tightly strapped down.

"You're a credit to the EMS, boys." Superman saluted them off as they disappeared back into the ambulance.

"I'm going to have to round up some of my men for further questioning. I'm not sure it's wise to continue the conference today, rescheduling may have to be in order." Maggie apologized once again to the Amazonian; Diana shrugged, it was something that could not have been helped.

"You two can do whatever follow up you need, I guess. Turpin ought to be confined to a hospital room within the next couple hours. I have a strange feeling I'll be talking to either of you two again very soon." Maggie nodded, finally cracking what could be passed as a friendly smile and jogged off. What had been abnormal silence for so long; finally shattered as the media did their regular screaming out questions and flashing their cameras. Superman wasn't even sure how long the barricades would hold up.

"Hey." Wonder Woman motioned with her head to follow her off stage, to a basically clear area. As he followed suit, she turned to confront him right away.

"You didn't have to do that you know… help me like that. Whether she let me or not, I would have found a way to reach Inspector Turpin one way or another." Her face produced that familiar stern look, that of a purely independent woman.

"I know, I don't doubt your capabilities at all Princess… I just like to think I'm lending a helping hand. Breaking and Entering wouldn't look good on your image, no?" She sighed, those perfectly rounded shoulders dropping from frustration, a single hand running through the black silk that was her hair. It didn't matter whether she was frustrated, excited, sad, or enraged, she must have always looked beautiful.

"It's always about my image, isn't it? No matter how deep my words sink in, I do one thing that contradicts social norm, and those words are immediately forgotten…" She looked up to him to see what words of wisdom he could possibly endow upon her.

"I wish it weren't this way, Princess. But if you want to be heard in "man's world", you've got to start adjusting to their ways. I can try and help you with that." Something was set off within Wonderwoman, Clark thought it presumptuous to call it a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but there was definitely something.

"Why do you choose to help me so?" A reasonable question, the two had just met a day ago. Clark was treating her like an old friend already, why to her he was just some really strong man who appeared at random out of the sky.

"Helping's what I do, what I live for, Diana. Besides, I think it's about time we had someone spread a message with the best of intentions, I can think of no better cause to help."

"Um… guys?" The two had almost become overtaken in this deep conversation when they were broken out of this trance by Jimmy and his steadied camera.

"Sorry to… bother the team meeting but… about that front page shot…"

Hours later… 

The pale moon high in the sky reflected an eerie glow across the Gotham City skyline. Though in all honesty, Gotham never gained notoriety for being a sunshine kind of city. Hell, even the very name of it left an ominous feeling welling up in ones stomach. Where Metropolis was seen as the pre-cursor to a bright American future, Gotham was still stuck in its deep seeded crime underground. It wasn't unusual to hear gunshots out your very window, and let's face the facts, some of the most twisted villains on the planet resided in this large city. As of lately, word was reaching along the town's underbelly that there was some new vigilante making a name for them self. Oddly enough, that's all anyone really knew. Who ever this vigilante was, they were as secret and hidden as the shadows themselves cast by that very same moon in the sky. Were they male? Were they female? Were they even human? Nobody knew, but this night stalker, this bat-thing as it was most recently referred to, was single-handedly bringing the crime-rate lower than it had been in decades. That's just what the papers reported though, and yet there was still a lot more to Gotham City than anybody, not even the great crime families knew about. Such an unknown thing was occurring at this very moment, in a dark alley in the narrows. Nobody went down there; not the mob, not the cops, not even the "crazies". There was something about this particular alleyway that repelled any curious spectators maybe wanting a quick peak into its darkness, any curious spectators besides one anyway. The man had to have been just over six feet, a dark black trench coat wrapped around his tall features. The collar had kept from being folded back, covering his head when looked at from behind. He extended his right hand out, running it through thin air, as if he was sensing something. The second thing that remained out of place was the red liquid that ran in pools along the street and walls.

_"A ritual sacrifice, perhaps?" _The man hypothesized to himself, thinking he may even have to sink his hand into the warm stuff to get a better grasp of what went on. He folded the collar back, revealing nicely combed hair that was as red as the blood that surrounded him. He sniffed the air, taking in the thickness, making it a part of himself.

_"Yet all ritual sacrifices in Gotham have been much more organized than this. There are runes left behind, mystical markings and, specific signs that such a ritual had taken place. This… this gore shows no such hints… yet it has undoubtedly a mystical nature to it." _He wriggled his fingers like thick worms, contemplating his next action. Perhaps a certain incantation or location spell would bring light this confusing situation before him.

"I've been watching you for quite some time now." A voice from behind him broke the man's concentration. He turned to find a lax figure resting atop a dumpster, feet kicking against it gently. A fedora hat concealed his face and he also wore a similar trench coat it seemed.

"Not many people can sneak up on me…" The red-haired man had a deep voice, an almost repressed gruffness to it at the same time. All of his senses told him that this new man did not belong to this world, not to this realm.

"Well," Brown fedora hopped off of the dumpster lid and casually made his way closer, "I'm not like many people to begin with."

"What do you want?" Red-hair spoke with some threatening in his voice. His teeth pressed together in a silent wince. He began to feel a strange, burning sensation in his head… like thousands of needles were pressing into his brain.

"I set out to achieve a goal," Brown fedora explained, as he snapped his fingers, it seemed as though he produced these small sparks strangely, "I have enough humility to admit I started towards my goal with limited resources. I misjudged what I was up against, my current forces not powerful enough. That is why I thought I could have you assist me. You, my friend, wield a substantial amount of power, don't you?" When he called him his friend, his flesh started to sear, those needles in his brain pressed deeper, digging at the nerves. The red-haired man literally made a hissing noise before he spoke.

"I warn you now… I'm not the kind of person you want to willingly make an enemy of." Brown fedora laughed sickeningly.

"Have you not been listening to me? I don't want you as my enemy. I want you as my ally. You see… it is so hard, in this day and age, for me to control a human being, to bend their will to match mine own. I have to look for… flaws in the psyche, the tiniest sliver of weakness that I can then stretch out into a full, manipulative wound." He was no more than three feet away from him. Red-hair's head was feeling heavy, the weight moving down to his neck, shoulders, his entire upper body. He wanted to make a move, to strike the brown fedora man down.

"You are unique, you're not just human. You have another half, one that is filled with rage, and hatred, and violence, and all those things that I can manipulate so, EASILY!" Brown fedora threw his open palm out and pressed it against red-hair's face, smoke rising from where he touched. Red-hair tried all he could to resist, making a cry that nobody would hear. He eventually succumbed to the control; his movements were no longer of his own free will. He held his face low, awaiting his orders.

"Good," Brown fedora smiled, "Now, I will not ask of your services right away. You will hear me when I call upon you. But, in these rare occasions where there are no prying eyes of the mortals… I would like you to show me the power that you possess, Jason Blood. Speak the words and show me the true form that will serve me." Jason Blood lifted his head now; that weight completely vanished. His eyes seemed to catch alight, a blazing fire behind them. His mouth motioned to move, and the words came smoothly into poetic form, each word increasing in dramatics.

"Gone! Gone! – The form of man!" Brown fedora clapped his hands together in excitement, ecstatic over the newest soldier in his ranks.

**"RISE! THE DEMON ETRIGAN!"**


	5. Chapter 5

**Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could've Happened**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any DC related characters present in this fanfiction story.**

_**Author's Note: I know, I've been sending you a lot of dialogue central chapters with very little action getting thrown. This is me trying to get the plot forward. I pre-warn you, this is another one of those chapters, but I promise you the action is coming up! Meanwhile, in this chapter, the DC cast of characters gets larger, with our super heroes still barely grasping the machinations at hand. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks to all the readers my story has received as well as reviewers. I much appreciate the time you all have put in to giving this story a chance! Hope you enjoy this latest chapter while I begin working on #6!!!**_

It happened again, the same way it did every night for the last week. Washington, DC, in front of the White House. It's a perfect day, where the sun could shine no brighter, the weather was at just the right temperature to be wearing an expensive suit, and the overall morale was at an all-time high. There are crowds, no, legions of people bunched up together all across paved or grassy ground. Cameras are flashing off like some new species of afternoon firefly. You can tell every single person there has attempted to look his or her absolute best for this day, this very special day. And then, as the ceremonies begin, he walks across the set-up stage. His head is held high with unlimited pride, his shoulders as sturdy as mountains, his smile catching the glare of the sun. The wind blows in such a way that the red cape draped over his shoulders flutters majestically behind him. Needless to say his appearance brings awe to the audience; his appearance always did that. Waiting for him a few feet ahead is the President himself, not even a single bodyguard around him. Why, who needs a bodyguard when Superman is there to save the day?

_"This is the highest honour we can bestow upon anyone, Superman. And yet, I still feel as though you deserve much more." _The President of the United States speaks to Superman as though he were a goddamn guardian angel, a savior from above. The alien is as modest as can be, rising up one hand and shaking his head assuredly.

_"No honour is too small, especially from you Mr. President." _The President smiles contently, showing the emphasized age lines running across his face. He holds out his hand to be shaken, signaling the final steps to granting this great honour upon his guest. Superman looks down at the President's hand for a moment, almost too long of a moment. He looks out to the crowd one more time, smiles respectfully and holds his own hand out. That's where the chaos begins. Superman granted the President one quick shake, before he tightened his grip, crushing the feeble human's hand in his own steel grip. The President is ready to cry out. Superman's eyes blaze with a crimson colour and he vaporizes the poor President before he has a chance to even scream. The audience erupts into shocked pandemonium as their screams ring out true. A number of secret-service looking kinds of men break through the crowds, powerful rifles held up at the President's assassin. Automatic, rapid-fire rounds bounce off his skin as he laughs maniacally at them. Repeating what he did with the President, he blasts them all with another powerful wave of his heat vision. The true motives of this change of character come to be revealed when he reaches a hand into his suit, pulling out what appears to be a miniature communication device. He shouts some strange alien language into it, and the sky turns black. How poetically coincidental that an eclipse would occur on this, the darkest of days? But no, it's not an eclipse. They are warships, flying machines of death and destruction under Superman's command. So many of them cover the sky that they blot out the very sun. The human race decides it needs more firepower, sending in a giant lumbering tank to take down the alien invader's leader. Superman grabs the tank by the large cannon mounted on it's top, and sends it sailing like a plastic toy. It crashes through the White House, collapsing an entire floor, signaling the beginning of war. In less than a day, the Earth has become a chaotic battlefield, and the aliens are winning. There is no more green covering the ground where the soldiers fight, it's all burnt away. The ground is cracked, burnt, destroyed, why it looks very much like a vision of Hell. The humans fight valiantly, but are no match for the advanced alien technology. Giant cruisers glass the Earth with their energy weapons, while large crystal-like mecha's crush all small life forms beneath their feet. Superman flies high above, leading his own legion of super-powered Kryptonians, as they tear the foundations of humanity apart. The "Last Son of Krypton" was all one big lie, the planet existed always; it was just very good at hiding itself. It had all been so cleverly planned out, Superman was sent to Earth as a spy. The Kryptonians, with their strategic patience watched as their soldier gained the trust and respect of every single human on Earth. It didn't matter if it took weeks, months, years, they could wait. And then, when that very same spy felt it right, when he had garnered enough trust, learned enough about them, and lowered the defenses just enough, he called them in for attack. Mankind didn't have a single chance of victory; the Kryptonians annihilated their resistance. One man remained on the battlefield, his own self-made machinations strewn about the war torn earth. Everything he worked so hard to build and achieve, it all lay in crumbles around him. When Superman began his conquest of Earth, they all turned to him, he who never believed the alien from the start; he who saw through all of the lies. They begged him for forgiveness, to let slide their ignorance and help them in this time of need. Though no one deserved it, he wasn't about to stand aside and let some alien race conquer his planet… but even he with his great genius and grand resources would eventually fall.

_"Oh Lex, you must know that your failure was inevitable." _The most sly and treacherous Kryptonian of them all had suddenly appeared behind him. He turned around to see the being that thought him self godly, floating just a few feet off the ground as if he were better than Lex.

_"I always knew you would turn on us. The selfless savior for mankind? In the end you just turned out to be the double-crossing alien I pegged you for." _Superman no longer sported the blue and red tights he wore when protecting the people. Now his outfit was a crude, black, totalitarian like armour that established his dominance over all other life forms. But what always remained the same was that giant pentagonal S he showed off on his chest. Now that symbol was everywhere, erected in the site where the White House used to be, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, everything crumbled in their paths.

_"And yet humanity wouldn't believe you in time. Yield to us, Lex Luthor, my greatest enemy. Bow down before me and I may be gracious enough to make you Head Servant to me." _His smug grin invoked enough fire in Lex to inspire his next words.

_"I'd rather die here, filthy alien scum." _He finished by spitting on that S symbol that Superman was so proud of.

_"So be it," _The alien sighed, throwing his hand out faster than Lex could see and lifting him off the ground by his throat, _"I think I'll put your head on a pike, and wave it around in battle to let the rest of your pitiful race know it is foolish to resist." _And in that brief moment where Lex was lifted high into the air, he saw him, that third party neither human nor alien. He wore an expensive suit, arms crossed as he rested his back against a giant unearthed stone. His hair was blonde and slicked to the side perfectly, while he simply grinned and shook his head.

_"Y-you? Who are y-?" _A simple tightening of the fingers and Lex's neck snapped.

"GAH!" Lex's eyes fluttered open as he instinctively took in a huge gulp of air. He threw his entire upper body off of the bed, throwing the sheets off like they were holding him down tight. His skin was entirely drenched in a fine sweat, as he continuously took in deep breath after deep breath. His eyes were wide-awake now, his heart hammering in his chest, the dark atmosphere not mixing well with his paranoia. As was mentioned earlier, he had been having the dream for about a week now, and every night it was the exact same; Superman kills the President, the Kryptonians massacre the Earth, and Superman goes after Lex personally. And then, in Lex's last moments of living, he sees the man in the suit, that strange anomaly in human form.

_BRIING! _The high-pitched droning brought Lex to his full wakefulness. His heart skipped a beat and then returned to normal almost instantly. Peaking his head over the side of the bed, a tiny compartment shot open with a single, silver phone as its contents. Grumbling all the while he grabbed it and brought it up to his hear to cease the noise.

"This better be important, Mercy."

"_Hello Lex." _It was a male voice on the other line, sophisticated sounding, but dark as well.

"How did you get this number?" Lex got to his feet, alert as ever to this enigmatic voice on the other end of this emergency line.

"_Why, your assistant gave it to me." _This voice was so lax, un-intimidated, mocking of Lex.

"Mercy values her life, I doubt she just gave it to you."

"_I'm very persuasive." _He chuckled softly like it was some sick joke.

"Who am I speaking too, exactly?" Lex didn't make his anger known, that was a showing of weakness; he maintained composure like this mysterious man.

"_A friend." _How original, it seems like every shady man or anonymous tipster referred to them selves as "a friend".

"I don't make friends, I make business partners. Potential business partners usually have to offer a proposal before they can make it into my inner circle." Like instinct, Lex tried to turn the conversation around in his favour, see where this man was going, was he a potential benefactor?

"_Not sleeping well, Lex? Realistic visions of foretold doom?"_

"Who is this-?"

"_This is the deal, what you can tell me about Superman, in exchange for his destruction." _There was a long pause on Lex's end as he tapped away at the phone against his ear. This man was either very powerful, or just a crazed lunatic, but on this particular subject Lex Luthor was willing to take risks.

"What time shall I schedule a meeting?"

"_I'll arrive when I please, that's all you need to know."_

"Wait-." The receiver went dead and the mysterious voice had silenced. Lex still pressed the phone against the side of his head for a while, in such deep thought that his stature could not be broken.

"_What you can tell me about Superman, in exchange for his destruction." _It was the greatest trade one could offer.

Athens, Greece 

"Thanks a million for giving me this access Doctor Thorne, I thought it'd be near impossible to see him." Lois Lane walked alongside the white-coated Doctor down a long, empty hospital wing. Their footsteps reverberated off the walls with a loud sound that reflected upon how cut-off this part of the hospital was.

"Your gratitude is unnecessary Ms. Lane!" Doctor Thorne was Chief of Medicine at this Grecian Hospital, and was a very large, sturdy tree of a man. His head was shaven clean of any hair save for a neatly formed goti around his chin. Lois had been true to her word, catching the first flight to Greece on the Daily Planet's budget and well on her way to what she believed was a potentially very large story in the works. Once touching down and grabbing a hotel, it wasn't hard for the ace reporter to figure out where one of the terrorists was being kept. A number of squad cars still lay outside the hospital to where Superman and Wonder Woman had confined him. To Lois' coincidental luck, she happened to be very well acquainted with the head Doctor there.

"This hospital is still in your debt from that catastrophe seven months ago. Had it not been for your and Superman's timely intervention, Doctor Virus' foreign strain of bacteria could have killed hundreds of our patients." Lois waved the thanks off like it was an everyday gesture she didn't deserve.

"Oh well… That was more Superman really, all of those special powers of his and such got to the real root of the disease pattern… I just connected the dots really."

"Ah Superman, I had seen him the other day when he dropped our special patients off. Why he was with the Princess Diana, I must say those two look quite the pair side by side." Thorne chewed on the tip of his pen has he recalled the meeting.

"You don't say," Lois spoke rather unenthusiastically, "So tell me Doctor Thorne, why close off this entire wing of the hospital when the men are restrained and harmless? Furthermore why haven't the police even escorted them to a prison or even a courtroom?"

"Two of the three men were moved to a prison for questioning, Ms. Lane. Though they were just grunts, knowing little if any useful information. Any comments they made apparently lead to the idea that the third, Damon Theodore was the mastermind." The good Doctor spoke glumly as he began to wag his finger, counting down the room numbers, obviously getting close to the one they were looking for.

"And he's being kept here still I assume? So why's that? Why didn't he go off with the other two?"

"Here we are." Thorne stopped at the white door, the numbers 346 painted plainly in black on it. Thorne took a quick glance at the clipboard in his hand before looking back at Lois.

"Doctor?" He still hadn't answered her question.

"Something happened to Mr. Theodore, something completely random and as of yet, unexplainable. I do hope you're not squeamish Ms. Lane." He laid one hand on the door, pausing a brief moment to collect himself before steadily easing it open. He noted to go in first, Lois following not that far behind him. The atmosphere transformation was so sudden and significant that Lois' breath was caught in her throat. It was like stepping in from the real world into nothingness, an empty vacuum. There was no feeling, air or lack there of pressing against her skin. Five feet away from her a tall white hospital curtain stretched out to it's full width. It was when she began to approach it that some feeling was regained within the room. It was warmth, but no in a good way, a humid sticky mass enveloping and intensifying upon her as she drew closer to it.

"Ms. Lane," Thorne grasped one end of the curtain, his knuckles white, he must have felt the invisible pressure as well; "Let me introduce you to Mr. Theodore." With that he practically ripped the curtain to the opposite side.

"Oh-." Her stomach lurched and she instinctively threw her hand up to her mouth at the sight. He looked like _Carrie, _post pig-blood dumping. The red stuff ran around his entire body like a circulatory system of veins outside of the skin. His eyes were covered with the worst cataracts Lois had ever seen on a human being, while his mouth lay slack in a frozen image of pure terror.

"Why-." Lois took a breath, collecting herself and hardening that journalist exterior, "Why hasn't the body been moved… cleaned? Don't you have a morgue or something for… specimens like this?"

"Morgue is for the dead, Ms. Lane," Thorne paced carefully around to the far bedside, his eyes glued to the crimson soaked body, "Mr. Theodore, is not."

"Come again?" Lois set her full sights upon the body with limited nausea, but that's about as far as she was willing to go.

"His pulse is actually racing at an extremely abnormal rate. And the blood, well take a good look at it for yourself, Ms. Lane."

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Can you at least see something unusual?" Lois grimaced and tried to find the thing that didn't fit, the clue, one of the most essential parts to investigating a story.

"…How long has he been like this?"

"Over 24 hours." The Doctor's lit up as if he was pushing her towards the truth; it was on the tip of her tongue.

"This blood hasn't coagulated at all, has it?" A tingling feeling ran down her spine as she fished around inside her purse for something.

"No. It remains fresh. There are no external cuts whatsoever as to where the blood has come from. Additionally, when you run a finger through one of the streams…" He strapped on a rubber glove, rubbing his index finger across one of the seeming hundreds of red lines. Of course the blood smeared and separated in the spot his tip ran through but then…

"It begins to separate, but in no time it reconnects and fixes itself again," Sure enough the two broken pieces of the blood circuit were reattached by a fresh flow of the stuff, "Like a constant stream; it's as if the blood is leaking from the very pores of his skin, going in and out through various areas of the body. Never in all my years as a doctor have I ever seen anything like this…so…. Supernatural… so archaic, like a work of the Gods." The Doctor rambled, but Lois' ears were not privy to all of what he said. Her eyes were alight, as she finally fished out what she was looking for. She flipped her camera phone open and hovered it over top of the poor Mr. Theodore.

"Notice something strange here over the chest and upper abdomen?" Lois directed his gaze with her phone. True enough, there was something different about this particular area. The constant lines of blood overlapped, turned, twisted, and crossed with each other at various points and intersections. It was like one giant congested highway of red liquid. They were packed so closely and intricately together that seemed to suspiciously produce a unique image.

"Ah yes… I was not sure what to make of that in particular."

"It looks kind of like… a knife? Something sharp alright, the sharpened corners of it say that much."

"Ah, but the base is rather long for it to be a knife, hm?" The Doctor hypothesized, tracing invisible lines just above the body to emphasize where he was looking. It was true, the blade was somewhat shaped like a narrow rhombus, diamond-like in easier terms. But connected to it was a long, narrow cylindrical shaft-like shape.

"Ok… so it kinda' resembles a javelin, or a spear or something…" She clicked a button and the flash went off. She then brought the phone closer to her and punched in a few button sequences.

"May I enquire into what you are doing?" Doctor Thorne had to have been a little on edge with everything the reporter was doing, he was already pulling a lot of strings to get her in wing to begin with.

"I'm sending this photo shot to a colleague of mine back in Metropolis, see if he can make anything from it… he's one of those bookie research types."

"Ms. Lane, you think this occurrence has strong potential for something bigger, hm?"

"A hunch, Doctor. I've worked the field long enough to have been gifted with a sixth sense of sorts. I can tell when a story is going to explode into something huge. I predicted the coming of Superman after his first rescue of that space shuttle, I was one of the first to discover the Cadmus Cloning Controversies back a year ago, and trust me… this story, it's going to be the next Big Bang."

_DI-DEET! DI-DEET! _The sound of Clark's email alert rang off on his office computer, which was incidentally on the other side of Metropolis. He turned his ear to the direction of the alert, but continued on his set flight course.

"Everything alright?" Wonderwoman was flying on his right, the two of them having met each other atop the Metropolitan Supreme Court building. The promise was that he would escort her into the investigations, and Superman liked to keep up the reputation that he was true to his word.

"Yeah fine, my ears just pick up a little white noise now and again." She nodded understanding, but he could tell she was trying to grasp the whole concept of super-hearing. He wasn't exactly sure what clearance she had to go through with her government officials in order to get a "free day" as this one was; but as far as his own career went, the Chief thought Clark was chasing a lead from within the Embassy walls. From there, Clark woke up from his apartment a little early and did some extra patrolling, making sure everything was as it should be before he went off on this current mission. He was a perfectionist, and that combined with his moral obligations forced him to make sure a gang war wouldn't explode somewhere, or a hostage situation in the slums wouldn't erupt. Everything had been quiet, save for a near rear-ending in a more congested area of traffic, and a potentially sunken cargo ship before Superman spotted the hole and welded it shut.

"Hey, what about that snapped cable incident at your press conference? Security has any ideas how that occurred?" He made small talk as best a superhero could with another he knew very little about.

"Priscilla's insisted on spear-heading the investigation into that mishap. The majority of opinion is that it just snapped, but that answer seems too simple."

"I don't know, individuals such as ourselves spend our days chasing down conspiracy plots and ingenious doomsday plans, that sometimes the simplest answers we cannot accept." Superman provided a different insight, but was far from wanting the Princess to let her guard down on account of the already surplus number of attempts on her life.

"Can we trust that nobody has alerted the media to our visit with Mr. Turpin?" Diana made a change of subject back to their current situation, "I can hardly see us reaching the elevator if reporters know where we are." There was a touch of dread to her voice.

"No worries. In such situations I tend to go through the roof exits of buildings. I've been informed that Turpin's room is on the highest floor anyway. We should get in and out relatively unscathed." Reaching the hospital, they descended rapidly onto the roof. Superman, obviously trying to keep chivalry alive opened the roof door and beckoned Diana in first. There was one flight of stairs left to traverse to get to their floor, but the two were better suited to leaping over the railing and hovering down to their destination.

"Only some hospital staff and a police officer or two, the wing's been effectively cut off, we're good." Superman replied with a quick x-ray scan, then pushing the door open. The almost luminous white colours of the medical wing were a positive atmosphere change to the drab stone gray's and browns of the stairwell. The Metropolis General was top of the line as far as hospitals went, this was due in part to Lex Luthor's occasional large donations to the renovations and technologies of it; just one of those philanthropic acts to keep the public dissuaded of his less favourable activities.

"This public celebrity status makes it hard to interact much of the time." Wonderwoman made observation as the staff became aware of their presence. Each one had frozen on the spot, staring blankly in awe at the two of them side by side.

"All a matter of patience and adapting, Princess. You're a symbol now after all," Superman spoke privately to her and then turned his attention towards the others, "Forgive this interruption, I know you all have important work to be done. We'll only be speaking briefly with Mr. Turpin, thank you." He ended with a smile, though the doctors and nurses still required another moment or two before they got moving again. A sole officer approached them, hands on his hips rather uptight.

"Superman, Princess Diana," He nodded to each as he said their names, "Pleasure to have you on the case. Though the entire force is a little skeptical having the target helping with the investigation…" Clark could almost feel Diana's passion and irritation well up into something outward.

"I'm sorry Officer," She was severely trying to keep her lashing tongue at bay, "But these attempts on my life are sullying my advocacy of peace. I am not going to take a sitting position and merely allow it to get worse." The Officer accepted the answer, but also based in part because he knew in the back of his head that the Amazonian could toss him through the ceiling.

"Well then, would you mind showing us to Officer Turpin's room-?" Before the question could fully escape Superman's lips, one of the hospital room doors was flung open. A Medical Resident decked out in navy scrubs skidded along the floor into the hallway, followed by a flying tray of food.

"TRYIN' TO POISON ME!" A gruff voice emanated from the inside of the room.

"…Never mind." The two walked past the Officer with courtesy and into the open doorway. The second they went through the frame, a TV remote went sailing straight at them. Wonderwoman caught it out of the air effortlessly and then began to study it curiously. The remote came from the loose hand of Dan Turpin, who was now standing up on his hospital bed waving his arms like a rabid ape. Upon the sight of blue, red and gold he withdrew his aggression and took to sitting back down.

"Superman. I'd heard you might be showing up." The redness of his face was more attributed to embarrassment rather than anger.

"Well you're looking healthy." Superman remarked casually, as far as he could tell, this was regular Terrible Turpin on a good day, but the disgruntled SCU officer hadn't been pointing his gun at him.

"Haven't taken a sick day in five years," He punched his broad chest to exemplify his toughness, "The hospital's just a polite way of keeping me detained… or actually making me sick, can't tell with this cafeteria slop they throw at ya'."

"No restraints of any sort, I see." Wonderwoman was colder in tone and approach; she set the remote aside and focused her entire stone gaze upon her would-be assassin. Turpin had a nice glare of his own, Superman remembered, but in this situation he was actually more willing to take the apologetic stance.

"My men told me about what I allegedly did-."

"There's nothing alleged about it, you tried to shoot me, and took out several of "your men" in the process to do it."

"It's not what you think." Turpin would never allow himself to be backed into a corner of any sort; his stance was firm.

"Well that's the reason we're hear, Turpin," Superman cut in, "We don't know what exactly to think, so we want to hear what you have to say. I've always known you as a good man, but I stood in the way of your barrel, and there was quite some conviction behind that firearm."

"You'd know better than me I guess." The graying officer grumbled in irritation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Wonderwoman took a step forward into the fray of things.

"I don't remember any of it, the gun, the attacking, the near shooting, nothing of it has come in my head yet."

"That's quite farfetched." Wonderwoman came off somewhat irritated. She didn't know Turpin like Superman did, so to her his excuse seemed like a last ditch kind where he couldn't think up a more logical one.

"Yeah well, you two are a regular couple of Joe and Jane's who can defy gravity and chuck a freight train, so you tell me what is and what isn't farfetched, Princess." The insolence pouring off of him was enough to anger any one person who didn't know Turpin, especially one of royalty.

"He's not lying, Wonderwoman." Superman said matter-of-factly.

"Oh?"

"Heartbeat, breathing, all steady, he's 100 truthful, I can tell."

"Well a man with no memories isn't much of a lead." She reasoned.

"Would that I could help you, ma'am. But from what I've been told I got whacked down pretty hard." The Inspector tapped his forehead lightly to illustrate.

"Maybe you can still help us though, with a little push." Diana figured she would have to eventually resort to the method in her mind right then.

"What are you talking about?" Superman became instantly curious, Turpin no less.

"What are doing?"

"Relax." The Princess reached to her side and pulled off what appeared to be a yellowish-golden coloured rope of some sort. But there was more to it than just it's colour, it seemed to pulse with strength and majesty. She began to unfurl it to its full length, a noose at the end wide enough to wrap around a person.

"This some sort of sick interrogation trick?! I told you don't remember anything!"

"I know Mr. Turpin," The Princess' voice was soothing, despite the danger Turpin thought he was in with her. Both men in the room noticed that the gold rope seemingly began to glow and pulsate, "This is my magic lasso."

"Magic…lasso?" Superman was a mixture of being taken aback, but keeping a subtle intrigue all the same. Wonderwoman meanwhile was flexing the rope within her grip, gracefully inching towards an already unsteady Turpin.

"Please relax Mr. Turpin. This instrument will not hurt you, however you will feel a compelling urge to tell the truth. I'm not entirely aware of its full potential, but perhaps it will help you recall those forgotten memories." She was roughly a foot away before he held a beefy hand up.

"Whoa, whoa! I'm to believe that shiny little cow-wrangler of yours is going to give my brain a boost? Let's be serious…"

"If you have no guilty conscience to hide, I fail to see the problem." She had a certain command to her that Turpin had not witnessed by any police superior he had ever had in his long career.

"I would do it Dan," Superman assured him, "I trust she knows what she's doing." Turpin's gaze went past Diana over to Superman and gave a final nod.

"Yeah alright, let's see how this little doo-hickey works…" Diana gave him a warm smile as thanks for his acceptance and then gently dropped it over his head. It fell down to his forearms and although it still glowed, he had yet to feel anything weird.

"Now relax, the effects should happen almost instantly-." She pulled on the lasso and the noose tightened around him. Turpin was born and would die a law-abiding American citizen, never once had he done a single drug in his life. But the euphoria that passed over his body just then, he imagined was the closest he could get to experience such a high. That golden glow began to stretch itself across his skin and through the flesh, making his stature slacken and relax. His mind, every little secret, every little nook and cranny opened up like a thick book, its contents waiting to be read. Strangest of all, he didn't even care; he was drifting through a haze of peace, waiting to be asked a question, so that he may share his wealth of experiences.

"_Mr. Turpin," _Diana's voice came across so melodic to his ears now, _"I need you to remember all that transpired at my peace conference the previous day. Tell me all that you remember." _In his normal state, Turpin could not recall a moment of his sudden animosity. However, with the magical lasso tightly bound around him, its warmth and persuasion willed these memories to return. The haze slowly parted, making a narrow cavern of nothingness in the Officer's wake, and then he saw him. He was a man set apart from the entire atmosphere; he did not belong. He wore a trench coat, the darkest he had ever seen. It didn't hang off his body like a normal one would either; no, this one swam around his physique, like it was alive. Upon closer look, Turpin realized that it was composed of tortured, angry souls of the living. From the man's head, he removed a fedora made of similar tortured soul. He smiled devilishly and held out a hand.

"_All in the same of the Spear, my friend."_

"Detective Resa." The name procured from his mind and escaped his lips to the outside world. And from there, all hell broke loose.

"AUUUUGH!" Turpin cried aloud as he was torn from the warm haze and engulfed in a raging inferno. It was a massive cyclone of orange and red, burning and crackling his skin, poisoning his very soul with feelings of rage and violence. In the center of the vortex, the man simply laughed in delight.

"What's it doing to him?!" Superman ran forward as Turpin began to lash and write within his gold bondings.

"I don't know! This has never happened before!" Diana pulled tighter on her end, restricting Turpin's wild thrashes. The screams were unholy, his eyes empty pools of no control.

"IT'S THE SPEAR!" His screams undoubtedly echoed through the entire wing, "THE SPEAR PRODS ME FORWARD TO HIS ULTIMATE VICTORY OVER THIS REALM!" Clashing with the Lasso's golden tint, a crimson red aura formed around Turpin's entire body, before exploding into a splash of energy that quickly dispersed and vanished into thin air with a great whooshing noise. Turpin flopped over on his back, all struggling ceased immediately.

"Dan!" Superman bounded for the hospital bed but Diana reassured him.

"It's alright, he's fine, see?" The older Officer's chest moved up and down, slow and powerful. His eyes were wide open, showing him fully conscious, in temporary shock if anything.

"I'm sorry Mr. Turpin, I've never experienced something like that before with my Lasso. It must be unique to you somehow-."

"Knew there was something funny about that guy…" Dan started to speak through hoarse words.

"You said a name," Superman followed Diana's example of getting right down to business, "A Detective Resa, who is that? What's his significance?"

"Detective. Resa," Turpin was slow with his word outtake, "Never heard of him before until yesterday. Came up to me… strangest thing when he-."

"Aaaaaaaand that would be MY cue!"

_BLAAAAAM! _The wall behind the three of them exploded spontaneously, the large oaken door flying straight for the Inspector. Superman was fast on the reflexes, throwing his hands out and catching it like an off-shaped Frisbee. It blocked his vision however, and by the time he tossed it aside, a large fist crashed into his face, with enough force to send the Man of Steel sailing out the window.

"SUPERMAN!" Diana cried out at the sound of the glass shattering.

"Oh reeelax! Blue Boy gets tossed through all kinds of crap every day, always bounces back!" The voice was oily and snake-like. Diana turned to find a seemingly unordinary looking man, a little taller if anything. His hair was sandy blonde, greased over to the side, over top a narrow face. His eyes were cold and calculatiing, while his smile was like that of a shark's. He wore a long brown overcoat, along with a simple white t-shirt and slacks, like some amateur Hitman.

"I don't know who you are-."

"Glad you asked. Its John Corben, and the Inspector is coming with me.


	6. Chapter 6

Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could've Happened

**Chapter 6**

Disclaimer: I do not own Superman, Wonderwoman or any other DC related characters mentioned in this fanfiction.

_Author's Notes: Ookkkkkk… So finally here is the next installment of Superman and Wonderwoman's adventures. Once again, a huge appreciation goes out to all of those readers who are forever patient and still come back to read the chapters that take so freaking long to come out. Alright…well I'm trying to avoid the excessive blurbing in these Author's Note, hope you enjoy!_

Earlier…

_The sordid pair stuck out the moment they stepped into Lex's office. Rather, the actual stepping in occurred after one of the two ripped the security door off its hinges. The strong man was slightly hunched over, broad gorilla like shoulders, bent knees, but an overcoat covering up most of his body. This one didn't seem to take much to talking, obediently stepping aside for the second man to enter. He was in direct contrast to the first, standing up straight. His stature was powerful, but not in the way of his strong servant. His suit and his haircut all looked expensive, and his smile was impervious. If Lex could compare him to anything, it would be the suave analogue of Lucifer Morningstar. Lex's eyes roamed over to the giant slab of steel lying torn on the floor, and then back to his "guests"._

_"It would take the explosive round of an M1 Abrams Tank to even put a dent in that door…" He commented, looking curiously at the ones whose identity remained concealed._

_"I pick my accomplices carefully," Lucifer looked over proudly to the strong one, "Some days he goes by Jason Blood, others he goes by Etrigan. Though lately, he seems to be confused between the two after I employed him into my services." He folded his hands behind his back and briskly stepped closer to Luthor's desk._

_"Forgive my forwardness, I haven't even formally introduced myself. You may call me Phobos." So Lucifer DID have a name. He held his hand out politely. Lex stared down like it was a foreign piece of contraband and took to pouring himself a glass of brandy instead._

_"And what kind of an alias is Phobos?" The businessman lowered his hand, seemingly not offended, but rather chuckling._

_"It's Greek. Not one too quick to trust I see?"_

_"It's kept me alive." Possessing some courtesy for this stranger, Lex pushed the bottle of brandy on his desk towards him. Phobos swiftly held his hand up._

_"No thank you. I only drink on the most rare of occasions. I have a brother you see, heavily influenced by the drink, bad road to take."_

_"That's all well and fascinating. But I don't believe I've grown fond enough of you yet to care about your life stories." Lex's tongue was a sharpened rapier, parrying and stabbing every chance he got with this enigmatic figure that appeared from nowhere._

_"Why the animosity, Lex? We've just barely met." Lex figured this man possessed some sort of Messiah complex. It was all in his tone, Phobos gave the impression that he thought himself above Lex Luthor._

_"I don't take kindly to men who have been able to compromise my security at every turn," He began to pace towards the giant viewing window overlooking the city, "I still am curious as to what you have done to my Security Head."_

_"Would you like to see her?" As if by some form of small gesture, or telepathic thought, Mercy Graves had stepped through the doorway by mere mention of her. But when Lex got a good observation of her, he realized there was something different to her. Sure, Mercy was cold, calculating, and of few words to most people, but this strong female associate of Luthor's was nothing but a blank slate. Her eyes were open, yet saw nothing, she was completely unmoving in her straight posture; it was like her personality had been programmed. Lex cocked an eyebrow, took a sip from his glass and continued to stare out at the sunny skyline of the City of Tomorrow._

_"Interesting."_

_"I can't help but notice you seem hardly overwhelmed by these strange circumstances; Mr. Blood ripping through your door, Ms. Graves a mere husk, I am a little disappointed." In whatever supernatural way Lex wasn't surprised at, this Phobos had slipped up beside him almost instantly._

_"I deal with the super extraordinary all the time, to me these are mere parlour tricks." It was not entirely for certain, but Lex felt he had made a good strike against this man's ego._

_"But of course. How does one impress the man who clashes lances with the Man of Steel on a day-to-day basis?"_

_"What do you want from me, Mr. Phobos?" He grew tired of meaningless chatter with this stranger, not weary of this Mr. Blood that stood poised to attack at just a word._

_"My dreams are great and many, Mr. Luthor. But I am not yet in a position where I wish to reach for them. I'm more looking to cut out the things that stand in my way."_

_"Is this where that Superman-related offer comes into play?" Lex almost felt a need to search the sky, wondering if he could pick out that insolent red-speck streak across it._

_"Not sleeping well, Lex?"_

_"You've got some nerve. I don't know how you do what you do, Mr. Phobos, but if you think one takes personal infiltration lightly-."_

_"I have spent many long years infiltrating levels of power Lex. Forgive my methods, but they are natural to me."_

_"What do you have against Superman?"_

_"What do you? He's a foreign alien, he's powerful, and with such power comes unsettling feelings of mistrust." Lex figured these words sounded rehearsed._

_"Is this the part where I invite you to dinner so we can discuss our similar values and beliefs?" Lex turned away and made for his desk, unimpressed. The two may have bypassed Mercy, but with a push of a button Lex could send up a squadron of specially trained men that he dare say could be a handful for even Superman._

_"Alright, that's not the only reason," Phobos was quick to follow on Lex's heels, "My aggressive advancements originally were intended for another self-proclaimed savior. Your alien just happened to decide to get involved, which only complicates things for me…" Luthor met eyes with Phobos for a moment as the hints became clear to him._

_"Wonderwoman?"_

_"The Princess Diana, yes."_

_"So you're the one that's been orchestrating these various sabotages and assassination attempts?" Lex was beginning to become rather impressed with this man's relentlessness._

_"I can't take all the credit for myself. I've had someone you could say on the "inside" assisting me with that." A conniving grin stretched across his face._

_"You mean Inspector Turpin?"_

_"Hm? Oh no, no Mr. Turpin is just another one of my manipulated pawns. No this other individual has proven much more important to me. It is a successful partnership, one that I would like to stretch out to you with regards to our boy scout in blue." And there came the proposal's beginnings._

_"Sorry, Mr. Phobos, but I reserve the right of eliminating that alien scum for myself-."_

_"And by all means, you may have that right. Why else would I be asking you to assist me? I seek to help you with that opportunity, while in return you help me with some of my problems." Was this what his dreams meant, a partnership with a man of undoubted supernatural origins? By agreeing, did this bring about the end of Superman?_

_"What would you have me do?"_

_"Excellent!"_

_"I have agreed to nothing, it's merely a question." Phobos gave off an expression that read stretched patience. He cracked his muscular neck compulsively and managed to fight out a smile._

_"Distrust has always run present through humanity. It's very simple. Mr. Turpin was temporarily employed under my services, but failed his objective. He is being kept at the Metropolis General Hospital. This situation reflects similarly to one I experienced in Athens, though security was significantly lighter. What I ask is a proof of loyalty; retrieve him. I fear the Princess may be better equipped at extracting what he knows about my dealings." Phobos turned on his heel and began to walk towards the torn entrance way._

_"And you assume I will be agreeable to this?" Lex called to Phobos' back. The man stopped in his tracks, not bothering to turn around._

_"There are two things you have in spades, Mr. Luthor. One is power, the other is pure hatred for the Man of Steel. I can help you appease the latter, and as for the former…" He swiveled his head and bore into Lex with the most sinister of gazes, "I can promise you even more of that, something beyond any mortal desires." There was something in the way he emphasized the word "mortal" that dug into Lex._

_"I trust you'll make the right decision Lex, you are the ever reasonable human voice in a great stand off with the alien threat. Come Jason." The hunched servant, who had been practically invisible the entire time, took to following his master immediately. As Phobos passed Mercy, Lex noticed him make a small hand gesture. His Head of Security blinked several times and was almost instantaneously brought to life again. She took a significant gasp for air and began to look in all directions._

_"Lex did you… how did I?" Phobos and Mr. Blood were already long since disappeared, and Lex could not help but give of a laugh of approval._

_"With all due respect, what's so funny?" Mercy took a hand to her head and shakily made her way deeper into his office._

_"Life just got a whole lot more interesting Mercy," When he turned to look at her, he seemed to be blessed with new vigour and meaning, "Call my tech staff, get them to refasten my security door. And after that I need you to make a call down to Dr. Anderson at the labs."_

_"What for?" Mercy and Lex had a long history; she was of the few individuals Lex allowed to have an indignant tone with him._

_"A job has come up where I require the services of a special client. Tell him to open Corben's vault and get him fully functioning."_

Present…

A hand that packed the force of a freight train behind it tossed Diana into the far wall. This John Corben was not like any human, in a physical sense. She grimaced from the throbbing in her back and looked up. The tall inhuman figure was already approaching the weakened police Inspector.

"Not a step closer!" Pressing off the floor, she flew at Corben, taking one of his arms and throwing it over her shoulder. With her own collection of great strength she flipped him over onto his back. He made a yelp more out of surprise than pain, as she threw her heal over his throat. Unfortunately, she was ignorant to the speed in his reflexes, as his free hand wrapped around her ankle. His grip was surprisingly cold, and reminiscent to a real machine clamp. She found herself being thrown down to the ground as well. She felt the heavy body wrestle to get atop her, as she began her struggle as well. A powerful knee that could crack an elephant's ribs hit with significant impact. Eerily, she could feel his stomach bend and cave in with some resistance, but he merely smiled down as he pinned her arms to the ground.

"Sorry there Princess, no pain receptors. Which is more than I can say for you." He wound his head up, ready to head butt her, when another hand clamp around his skull. Superman was up and back in action, a firm expression of irritation.

"An extreme displeasure to see you back in town, Metallo." Before Corben could make another move, Superman wrapped the second hand around his arm and tossed him through the very same window hole that he had been punched through. He dropped like a stone, in a few seconds; Diana heard the impact.

"Who was that!" She exclaimed getting up to her feet, her arms not soar thanks to her gauntlets.

"An old friend. And he'll be back up on his feet right now if we don't hurry." Superman blasted off overtop the confused Inspector and dove through the hole, kicking up a gust from his speed. Wonderwoman didn't waste any time, following right behind him. Sure enough, there was a crater where this John Corben/Metallo had fallen, and he looked like he was up and ready for more. Laying out wide in front of the hospital was a mini park with a lush field of grass and a few trees. To the heroes' luck, any innocent bystanders seemed to clear instantly.

"Come on!" Corben called from below, "Show me what you-!" His words were cut short as Superman dive-bombed him fists first. A dust cloud kicked up and it looked like the crater had widened. From out of the cloud, the sandy-blonde figure went sailing once more, shouting as he went. He scraped along the grass field awkwardly but managed to roll back onto his feet. He shook his head, throwing off his windbreaker and punching his fist into his hand a few times.

"That it?" Far from it in fact, it was amazing. Wonderwoman watched in awe as Superman, like an unstoppable flood of pure power, went crashing full tilt into this stubborn villain. Now it seemed to be Corben's turn to be pinned, as Superman held him against the wall of a building, wary of all the delicate people that surrounded it. Superman showed no signs of faltering in his grip; Corben's struggles were ultimately futile.

"You never learn the harsh lesson of countless failure, I see Corben." The two obivously had previous encounters before. While any other person would have crumpled in this situation, John Corben smiled devilishly.

"You know the old euphemism. Try, try again and all." A thin horizontal line formed in the center of Corben's chest, only to have two halves open up like a secret compartment. But inside of the man were not organs and muscle, but gears and shifts. Instead of a beating red heart, Corben had a glowing green rock in its stead. The rock bathed Superman in a jade glow that made him grimace all of a sudden. Even from her vantage point, Diana watched his grip loosen and his head lower. Corben broke free of his clasp and the Man of Steel fell to one knee.

"Now what's that you said about learning a lesson, Supes? Why is it you always forget the big green surprise I always keep packing?" He went into a swift uppercut that took Superman off of his feet hurtling several meters backwards.

"SUPERMAN!" With the strength in his legs, Corben had made a mighty leap, cutting away the distance between he and the ailing Superman. That green wash kept on the Man of Steel as Corben began to deliver a flurry of punches.

"Get off of him!" Diana came into the picture, delivering a straight kick to his chest that brought him on his back 10 meters away. Realizing his knack for getting back up again, she went towards the nearest tree, uprooting it in her arms. Before he could fully stand straight, the massive haft of it blew into his side, splintering against his body and taking him down once more. As Corben routinely stood up again, Wonderwoman looked in horror, a number of large splinters had embedded into his left side, sticking out of him like porcupine spines. He gave a puzzled look and then followed her gaze downwards.

"Oh," He smiled again, "guess you never figured how I got a nickname like Metallo, eh?" He took his hand down, grabbing a handful of the splintered skin… and ripped it right off like paper.

"Wait-!" She stopped frozen, and saw the truth revealed. Underneath the pink flesh was a solid, metallic interior. In some sadistic way, he went about ripping the rest of the skin along his torso. Now he was showing off his full robotic self, save for the still human face. Above all, her eyes lay on the jagged green rock lodged in his chest.

"What is that?"

"This?" He gave it a flick with a long silver finger, "This is Blue Boy's Achilles Heel. This is why I'm so suited for this job." He went into charging at her now, arms out wide and aggressive.

"Guess you didn't factor in me being here." She spat the words at him. He came upon her, throwing both arms out to grab her. With warriors cunning she dropped to her hands, narrowly missing the death grip and springing her feet upwards. There was a distinct tearing sound that occurred before Metallo was flung backwards again. As Wonderwoman got to her feet, she could see him doing the same in profile. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her fully, half the skin on his face torn off.

"Great Hera…" His true face revealed, nothing more than a silver dead skull with a glowing green eye blinking at her.

"So the secret's out!" Metallo threw his hands in the air, the half of his face that still had skin looked quite amused, while the mechanical side was void of any emotion.

"What are you?" Diana leveled her balance and held her fists up, anticipating any kind of move.

"I'm about double the price of the 6 million dollar man, and a whole lot more lethal. I'm just the walking weapon with a human brain," He took up his left hand, digging the fingers into what false face was left, and tore the rest of it off sickeningly. Now the Princess was staring into a full cybernetic skull.

"I am Metallo." He took off fast on beyond horsepower legs, but before the gap could shrink to even 5 feet, the previously uprooted tree went slamming into his body full force.

"BLOODY-!" Metallo, full tree and all were sent airborne, crashing through the tall doors of a not too distant warehouse, long since abandoned from the chaotic clash of titans. Wonderwoman turned to find a standing Superman, hands on his knees, taking in deep breaths.

"Are you alright?" She placed a hand on his shoulder that he politely removed.

"Just fine," He went to standing at his full triumphant height, "Just had to catch my breath is all." She then saw the most foreign colour to his face, a red line of blood that trickled from his lip. Wide-eyed, she slowly pointed at the red trickle, and Superman wiped it off. 

"He made you bleed. That thing in his chest-."

"Kryptonite. Long story. My weakness is his power source; very convenient." A large scraping of machinery and wood and Superman's ears picked up stirring within the warehouse.

"He's back up. Let's take him down before he can really hurt anyone." This time, both heroes together launched off the ground and bolted to the entranceway that's doors had just recently been knocked over. The interior was dusty, dreary and dark, save for the beams of light that cut through high squared windows just below the arched ceiling. Lining the perimeter up high were catwalks and pulleys; and along the floor were scattered crates, nuts and bolts, large metal pieces that had been in the way of Metallo's trajectory. At the farthest wall, the two had spotted the battered tree, no sign of Corben.

"Really hard to track a guy that doesn't have a heartbeat." Superman groaned.

"Apparently." A fifteen-foot shelf of car parts and bone crushing scrap pieces came crashing down to their left. A quick shove from Superman pushed Wonderwoman clear from harm's way just as it flattened overtop of him. She was up immediately, a cold, metal hand clasping around her throat and lifting her off her feet.

"Oh my pal, Supes. Chivalry never died with him, did it?" The sharp fingers were digging into the delicate skin on her throat while her windpipe was already shrinking under the pressure. The vision in Wonderwoman's right eye began to fade and she unthinkingly kicked at the half man with no pain receptors.

"Hands off her!" Twin lines of red, seared with heat so great that it cut through the strangling arm like butter. Wonderwoman fell, air passing freely into her lungs. Superman had already drilled his way out of the pile and was ready for another assault, only to be met with a pair of green beams emanating from Metallo's eyes. They pounded the Man of Steel, square in the chest and sent him colliding into the far wall.

"Surprise! I've got laser eyes too! And a few other technical advancements." Metallo reached down at the shorn off arm, writhing on the ground as if possessed. Holding it too the burnt stump just below the shoulder, the sparking wires came to life and began to realign themselves. His face made a grimace, as if there was something that actually caused him pain. He tested the arm, wriggling the fingers and bending at the elbow.

"See! Good as-UMPH!" Diana kicked his legs out from under him. He went to get back up, but both her hands had already clasped his ankles, and with seething strength she tossed him into a rack of metal sheets.

"All this is doing is causing collateral damage." He threw the silver plates of fiberglass off, more irritated than hurt. Wonderwoman's fist was already colliding with his jaw. A sickening crunch came as he absorbed the blow, only to return with a backhand to her face. Colours exploded into her eyes as she tumbled through nothingness until hitting some giant object and falling to the ground.

"Great…now I've got a damn clicking in my jaw." Like an unstoppable Colossus, he moved onward to finish her off. The large cold hand came down, the one that would try to crush her skull. With little time to think, her hand searched the ground beside her, to find a metal pipe beneath her fingertips.

_"Likes the duels on Themyscria, just a different kind of enemy." _With new life she leapt to her feet and swung the pipe like her own trusted blade, knocking away Metallo's arm.

"What the-!" She went fast, taking another strike into the joints of his right leg, then into his side, his collar bone, just swinging non stop with all her knowledge of the sword. Metallo had power, but not the resourcefulness to use it, not like her. Finally, the pipe twirled in her fingers and she thrust it into his chest cavity. He gave out an inhuman cry and stumbled backwards. The blood pumped from her heart could be felt, burning through every single vein and artery. Her skin seethed with the spirit of battle overtaking her. The pipe probably about nine inches in diameter, jutted out of Metallo's chest, just missing the Kryptonite. Sparks flew from the gash, but the cyborg stared down at it amusedly.

"Almost like you aimed to kill, not a bad attempt;" With one hand he ripped the pipe free and tossed it aside. She could see the hole it had made, the twisting gears and snake-like circuitry within it, "But I'm getting bored now. This will have to end sooner or later." 

"You're right." Superman was off to Metallo's side, a safe distance away from his kryptonite heart. With his hands clasped together over his head, the Man of Steel sent them crashing earthward. The force of the blow sent a wave of floorboards and concrete surging at him. Wonderwoman launched safely into the air as he knew she would, but Metallo wasn't as suitably equipped. 

"AH!" His jaw filled up with splinters and stones, his vision darkened, and his body fell victim to the chaotic mass. He went tumbling and spinning through pandemonium before finally stopping. He could feel hunks of the concrete lodged in his joints, finding it difficult to move his limbs as easily. He bit down on the filth in his mouth and spat it out. Metallo was buried up to his chest in upturned flooring. The pair of red boots floated just above his line of sight. He didn't want to look up at the smug barrel chest.

"Really hard to bathe me in that healthy green glow underneath all that junk, isn't it?" 

"I don't know about that." His gaze shot upwards and he sent another pair of green Kryptonite rays his way. This time Superman had anticipated them, effortlessly moving to the side, the beams splashing against the ceiling harmlessly.

"Quite enough of that." All Metallo saw was a golden noose follow over his head, and suddenly he was being hoisted out of the rubble. Wonderwoman had thrown her lasso over one of the pulley hooks and now restrained John Corben hangman style. His legs kicked at nothing as he hung suspended several meters above.

"Hey! What's the big idea!" His slow moving hands made their way to the rope around his neck, as he struggled to loosen it.

"No use struggling, Metallo." Wonderwoman circled around to his front, hovering with her hands to her hips, "Nobody has ever broken from the hold of my lasso, and I do not expect the likes of you to either." With Superman keeping a cautious distance from the green rock, it was Diana who decided to get up close and personal with Mr. Corben.

"That was a pretty sloppy kidnapping if I do say so myself. You barely were in the same room as Turpin."

"Guess I wasn't expecting as much muscle. The hired guy never gets enough info." It was hard to form a smile on that solid metal face.

"Who sent you after him. Why?"

"Piss off is all I have to say." Wonderwoman had been afraid of such a unique situation. The magical effects of the lasso worked perfectly on any organic being, but a cybernetic one such as this subject may have been another story. She had to be crafty with this one.

"Tell me Superman, is this bothersome rock his only power source?" He ascended to their level, but didn't try to close the width gap. His gaze was focused as he scanned Metallo's insides.

"It's his permanent one. But he's got some uranium capsules lodged in his head, my guess is for temporary back-up power."

"Well if it won't hurt him…" She reasoned.

"Hey," Metallo didn't like the look in her eyes, "What are you-!" Her hand had already flung into his chest cavity, pulling the Kryptonite out with a nice tug.

"DON'T DO THAT!" With the severe loss of power, Metallo's body had gone completely motionless; the only thing still active was his mouth. The green glow in his eyes started to fade, as the back up capsules tried their best to keep his systems online.

"Now then," Diana tossed the large jagged piece of Kryptonite in her hand tauntingly before volleying it away far enough for Superman to approach closer. Metallo thought he could hear his would-be heart shatter against the hard ground.

"Crazy bitc-!"

"Now that's not polite talk, Metallo." Superman's hand flew forwards and shut the cyborg's mouth momentarily. Diana looked to Superman and smiled in gratitude before turning back to the villain.

"Mr. Turpin tried to murder me yesterday, and claims no memory of the event whatsoever. Suddenly you with all of your great strength and violent sloppiness barge in to kidnap him. Am I going out on a limb, thinking there's a connection?"

"I only go after who I get paid to go after. You won't get anything out of me."

"A name Metallo, your employer, who are they." Superman prodded, "You won't be able to function much longer, you've got nothing else to lose."

"True, but I also really hate you Supes." He smiled crassly. Without warning, Wonderwoman ripped the lasso off from around his neck and held him up with one hand. He cried out in surprise as she shook the dead body around.

"My blade needs sharpening, with it I could reduce you to a pile of metal shavings if need be. No scientist would be able to reassemble you."

"WHOA! HEY! Get your crazy girlfriend off of me!" He yelped, absolutely defenseless.

"Diana-." Superman called her name, but she ignored it, racing down to the earth and throwing Metallo onto an offline conveyer belt. Taking a thick, heavy looking break shoe in one hand, she rested a foot on his heartless chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"I don't know robots or computers that well, but I'm wondering if it's simple enough to smash the information out of that brain of yours!"

"Wait!" She raised the blunt instrument above her head.

"Diana! What are you-?" Superman dropped down, but the break shoe was already racing downwards like the hammer of Haephestus 

"STOP! PLEASE GOD!" Metallo shut his eyes, not noticing the break shoe had stopped just an inch above his face, his mouth already began to spout out what they needed to know.

"IT WAS LUTHOR! LEX LUTHOR! HIM AND SOME OTHER GUY-!" A harsh crackling noise and sparks flooded out of his eyes before his head rolled over slack, the dull glow of his corneas completely vanished.

"Look out!" Wonderwoman barely stepped aside in time before Superman was in her previous spot, lifting the now offline Metallo off of the conveyor belt.

"What are you doing?"

"I've got friends up at S.T.A.R. Labs, they should be able to bring him back online and detain him, follow me!" He kicked off the ground, cyborg in tow, and blasted out into the open sky. Diana was surprised at first, but didn't pause long so as to lose Superman in his speed burst.

"Well it wasn't the uranium capsules de-powering that shut him down." Dr. Emil Hamilton was looking through the tech analysis upon his clipboard; skim reading with his pen. Superman's attention was focused on the Head Scientist and his old friend, while Diana looked around in amazement. Dozens of men and women in white lab coats operated gigantic technical marvels unlike anything she or her people would ever experience. Giant cylindrical conduits transferred white beams of energy between each other, a robotic exoskeleton suit was lifting a freight tram over its head. There was even a chimpanzee with some sort of strange-looking helmet, solving a complex math equation on a whiteboard. These were the types of people that Superman referred to upon their first meeting; these were the people using their talents to further human civilization. Hamilton came off as a very cleanly man; a silver beard thinly trimmed that made all the more wisdom appear to emanate from him. A pair of circular spectacles rested on his nose as he continued with his analysis.

"Whomever sent him to claim Inspector Turpin had taken some extra precautions. We've scanned the interior of his skull, and our conclusion is that the uranium capsules were shorted out by an intensely focused radio signal remotely activated from a distant location. They must have not believed victory was entirely guaranteed." Emil looked up from his clipboard and looked to both guests.

"Metallo is the likely thug to be sent if I'm to be expected as a resistance, the kryptonite his reasoning enough for that. I don't know if they were expecting back up or not." He looked to Wonderwoman gratefully for her presence.

"I'm not entirely sure," Hamilton continued, "But it may be plausible that my radio-spectrum team can trace the signal to its source, perhaps help you two in figuring out who sent him-."

"That won't be necessary Dr. Hamilton," Superman's tone seemed to turn grim, though he maintained courtesy, "I think I have a good idea who I'm looking for. Thank you for all your help. And what about Metallo now? Is he salvageable?" Emil nodded and smiled for reassurance.

"You need not worry, you got him here just in time that we can hook him up to a routed power source and keep him detained until the SCU arrive."

"I really appreciate this, Emil." Superman held his hand out to which Emil happily took in a respectful shake.

"Always happy to help, you never show up unless it's really important. And by the by, I should have that lead suit ready for you in another two days or so." He turned his attention over to the Princess, his features giving him more the look of a royal or a diplomat in her opinion.

"And it was also my very great pleasure to meet you, Princess," He held one of her hands with both of his delicately, "I greatly respect your advocacy for peace, and let me say S.T.A.R. Labs would love to assist you in any way possible come the near future." His kindness was near overwhelming, and she was beaming with gratitude.

"The pleasure is mutual, Dr. Hamilton." After another few parting words, both Superman and Wonderwoman left through a conveniently built, remote sunroof that Hamilton had installed for such purposes.

"That place is truly a marvel unlike anything I have witnessed before," Wonderwoman proclaimed as they glided along the Metropolis skyline, "I suppose there is more to modern technology than just air pollutants and nuclear warheads."

"Yeah… Emil is a Renaissance man of the 21st Century…" Through his words, the Man of Steel sounded somewhat distant to her.

"Superman…?"

"Thanks, back there with Metallo," He halted in flight and faced her, "I got ahead of myself, trying to get him away from Turpin and the other innocent bystanders, blindsiding me with the Kryptonite should not have happened on a usual day; it was sloppy and wreckless; and someone could have gotten hurt."

"But they didn't." Diana was starting to believe that perhaps the pictures and articles portraying Superman as an unbreakable wall without doubt and regret weren't entirely true.

"I suppose not."

"Who's Lex Luthor? Besides yourself, it's a name I've heard of a lot while being in Metropolis." Superman's eyes gained a tone of darkness unlike anything Diana had yet to see in him. His arms crossed tightly like a vice around himself and his mouth was but a thin line.

"Lex Luthor is everything wrong with this city."

"Bad blood between you two, then?" 

"Let's just say we usually clash on a moral level." He began to forward himself through the air again to which she joined.

"Example?"

"Example is he's usually up to some scheme and I'm the one to stop him."

"Well, I suppose you can't get more clear cut than that."

"I guess it shouldn't be too obvious for Metallo to have connections with Luthor, but for him to go as far as sabotaging your peace movement?" Superman in a relaxed state rotated his body with his back to the earth and chest to the sky, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Not his style?" Diana was the foreign ambassador to this city; she didn't have an accurate grasp on any of these big players like Superman could provide her.

"Lexcorp tops the market when it comes to military arms manufacturing; you name it: missiles, warships, exoskeleton suits, he's made advancements everywhere in destruction."

"Alright then," What it sounded like to Diana was they had found a crucial stab into these mysterious events, "What better reason for the sabotage? My Global message stands indefinitely against what makes him money." The Man of Steel didn't seem as entirely convinced.

"Yeah, I thought that. And Lex isn't against sabotage by any means… but he also likes to keep his name out of the papers. No matter how cloak and dagger he tried, I don't think he'd take as big a risk as attacking a foreign diplomat in broad daylight."

"Detective Resa."

"What?"

"That's the name Turpin had spoken before the strange rage fluctuations. Mean anything to you?"

"Not at all." Superman had noticed the red orb of sun, already sunk halfway over the distant mountains; it had been a very long day filled with interrogations, robotic attacks and a lot of science mumble jumble. He stopped them again.

"You leave Lex to me right now, and I promise to you I'll update you as soon as I can." He wasn't completely up to terms with foreign diplomatic affairs, but he surmised that it wouldn't have been the greatest on Wonderwoman's image for her to be gone so long from whatever her normal duties may be. Though understanding fully well that the day's operations were at an end, she smirked at him of all reactions.

"I can't thank you enough for all of your guidance in this, Superman. But time for a little of my own." Standing upright in mid-air she floated closer to him, his body language read as though he was ready to pull back a little ways, he was occasionally shy too. Resting a hand on one of his unbreakable shoulder she spoke words of reassurance.

"You're strong, Superman, nobody doubts that. But you can't juggle the lives of millions of people and hold yourself solely responsible for every one of them. That's above and beyond even superhuman. Don't blame yourself for any of the destruction Metallo caused today, or I'm afraid I won't be able to keep working with you." She smiled brightly and brought herself closer to kiss him lightly on his cheek. Pushing off she increased their distance; Superman's face had appeared more steel-like than ever at that point, frozen in an expression that seemed a mix of confusion and at ease.

"Contact me with anymore information you can find, I'll be around." She gave an energetic wave to which he returned somewhat sheepishly before she rocketed off across the orange and blue-hued sky. Superman had to take a few moments, staring at that space where she had been before shaking his head and going off in his own direction. He could keep his thoughts on that odd moment on hold, for he had a very important surprise meeting to be at. Flying at much greater speed now, he could already make out the large skyscraper dwarfing all others surrounding it, in the boastful shape of a letter "L".

"And you're certain Metallo's amateur antics can't be traced back to this company?" Contrary to the serious issue at hand, Lex was very laid back in his seat, phone pressed against his ear. On the other end was his Head of Security, Mercy Graves, seemingly back to normal since the last encounter with Phobos.

"Relax Lex, Metallo barely knew anything. And what little information he did possess was wiped away with his internal power. Come on Lex, you know me. This is the job I'm paid to do, isn't it?" It often seemed sometimes that Mercy felt her and Lex shared a relationship closer than anyone else, but of course Lex didn't afford that luxury to anyone.

"With the faulty security as of late, I'm forced to ponder that myself." He hung up on her abruptly and began to curl his fingers together, in deep thought and frustration. While in his semi-trance like state, a new body floated into the right side of his vision. In most circumstances, a person would triple-check if they thought they saw a man hovering in mid-air outside their window, but not for anyone in Metropolis; and especially not for Lex Luthor.

"Heh." He snickered and got out of his seat, pacing over to the window, staring face to face with Superman on the other side of the thick glass. The image before Lex was one he had become quite used to, the Man of Steel staring down judgingly at him, arms crossed, cape floating majestically to the side of him.

"I'd invite you in, but the entrance is on the bottom floor; tens of stories down." The glass was sound proof from the outside to human ears, but Lex knew the alien could hear him just fine. Lex's eyes blinked for a split second and the alien was no longer looking at him through the window. There was a gust of wind at his back accompanied with a loud swooshing noise.

"Dually noted." Superman spoke from his behind. Luthor turned around, not at all showing any surprise in this turn of events. Rather he sighed and went to his desk, holding up his phone threateningly, but casual as well.

"One phone call and I could have you charged with trespassing on private property." 

"And I'm certain I could have you charged with conspiracy to murder, Lex; not sure you could even call that much of a stale mate." Lex put the phone back on its receiver, rubbing a hand against his brow in frustration.

"And what exactly are you blaming me for now, Superman?" He kicked back in his seat, showing no fear or tenseness against his arch-nemesis.

"Attempted murder of a certain foreign diplomat; one who's done nothing but advocate for world peace." Lex sat up a little straighter in interest, and in mocking gesture.

"The Princess Diana? Ha! You think I have something to do with that? Really Superman, I know we don't see eye-to-eye on all things-."

"I don't know what part you play in this, but I know it's got to be something big." Superman seemed to take a step forward with each scathing word he threw at him. Lex threw his hand behind his head, relaxing even more so, recollecting information he did know on the assassination attempts.

"Tell me Superman, was _"Lexcorp"_ written anywhere on the fighter jets in Greece? Or the missile?" The hero did not respond, Lex continued.

"Or how about Inspector Turpin? Did he say he was on my payroll? Is that how you've got me pegged?"

"Metallo attacked me; he said he was looking to take Turpin with him. After the Princess I took him down, your name was mentioned. Curious, isn't it?" Superman's gaze intensified to such a degree that one would expect his retinas to burn bright red. Luthor only met this accusation with more mock laughter.

"Oh Superman, Metallo hates me! Probably just as much you do. Still blames me wrongly for his… condition," Superman was pretty certain Luthor DID play some part in whatever made Corben the way he was, "Whoever REALLY wanted Turpin has gotten off scot-free. After all, Metallo doesn't give away his benefactor, and meanwhile turns you on the one he despises. Clever, would never have pegged someone like him to think so strategically." Superman focused his hearing precisely upon Luthor and the undoubtedly black heart of his… all they picked up was a _DEET! DEET! DEET! _

"Sound dampener? Have you got something to hide Lex?"

"Our constitution does grant us a right to privacy. When questionable alien invaders come into play, we've got to step up that law accordingly. I doubt the majority of the populace would enjoy the idea of you listening in on them from afar, hm?" 

"This blame-shift routine is all familiar with your other mass cover-ups, Lex. Don't think you can always avert justice away from your direction. I'd be wary of whatever you do from here on in." Superman turned on his heel towards the exit, Lex chiding him as he went.

"Is that a threat?"

"Call it a polite warning." And as fast as he had arrived, the alien disappeared in a red and blue burst of speed. Seconds later when, the Man of Steel was about halfway across the city, clapping could be heard from the shadows of the room's farthest corner. 

"Bravo." Slowly but surely, Phobos in his suave suit and all appeared from the shadows, beckoning more questions upon what exactly he was.

"It's so refreshing to see man stand up to a god." He commented respectfully. Lex got out of his seat and went around his desk for a closer confrontation.

"Superman is no god. Merely a solar-powered alien who has the remarkable ability to allude an entire species."

"Hm, his sword stabs into your heart deeply, I see." Lex scoffed.

"Ha, I liken him more to an inconvenient bee sting." Phobos marveled in Luthor's pride.

"Yes, an inconvenient bee sting that mangled your cybernetic toy." Luthor only granted him the slightest of frowns to the comment.

"So is this why you're ultimately here? To tell me the partnership is off? All because I failed to bring you an aging, crotchety Inspector?" Phobos held his hands up and chuckled reassuringly.

"Oh no, quite the contrary. I did not expect you to stop Superman at all, especially with the Princess at his aide."

"What!" Lex's hands were both clenched fists, "You had me waste precious resources for nothing?" Phobos turned his back to Luthor and approached one of the many windows that overlooked the great City of Tomorrow.

"Lex, you are plagued with seeing things in short term. You have not aged quite enough to understand the long term effects of things," Phobos' youthful appearance brought some puzzlement to this statement, "Now that I know the machinations you are capable of, the destruction they can cause on even a small scale, I know you are the confidante that I want; that I need."

"For what?" Phobos turned and smiled that shark-like grin of his before looking back to the city, majestic under the moonlight.

"War."


End file.
